‘Toil and Trouble’: Early Modern Witchcraft
27 February 2027
10:00am-5:00pm
Rewley House 1 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JA
Event status:
Applications being accepted
Dates:
27 February 2027
Study Format:
In-person day/weekend
Fees:
£90.00
In-person lecture-style day event
'Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble' – Macbeth, Act I, Scene I.
By the time Shakespeare’s Macbeth was performed to London audiences in 1606, many of the motifs associated with witchcraft were already well-established. Indeed, from stage plays and sensational pamphlets to high profile court cases and popular imagination, you’d be forgiven for thinking witches and witchcraft were everywhere in 16th and 17th century England (and Europe more generally). But what is the truth behind the increased interest in witches during this period? How did ideas about unnatural power evolve and intersect with justice, local grievances and literature? Why did some of those accused confess to crimes they cannot possibly have committed? And when did belief in witchcraft begin to decline?
Through three lectures and one structured panel discussion, in this special study day you will explore the history of witchcraft belief and persecution during the early modern period. Focussing on the gendering on witchcraft trials and key English cases studies such as Pendle and the ‘Witchfinder General’ in Cambridgeshire.
Please note:
- This event will close to enrolments at 23:59 GMT on 24 February 2027.
- Due to the nature of the contents of the day, this event is not suitable for under-18s.
Book this course
Image: A witch at her cauldron surrounded by monsters. Etching by Jan van de Velde II, 1626. Source: Wellcome Collection
Contact the team
Phone: +44 (0)1865 270368
Email: events@conted.ox.ac.uk
Programme details
9.45am
Registration at Rewley House reception
10am
Welcome
Rebecca Rideal
10.05am
Early Modern Witch-Trials: Gender and the Witch
Dr Laura Kounine
11.20am
Tea and coffee break
11.45am
“False and Feigned”: Pendle and the Late Lancashire Witches
Rebecca Rideal
1pm
Lunch break
2pm
Fen Devils: Witchfinders in Cambridgeshire
Dr Tabitha Stanmore
3.15pm
Tea and coffee break
3.45pm
Panel Discussion – The Decline in Witchcraft and Magic?
Rebecca Rideal, Dr Laura Kounine and Dr Tabitha Stanmore
5pm
End of day
Accommodation
If you wish to stay with us before and/or after the event, please contact our Residential Centre for availability and discounted rates.
Call +44 (0) 1865 270362 or email res-ctr@conted.ox.ac.uk
Our accommodation in Wellington Square has been rated as 4-Star Campus Accommodation under Visit England. All bedrooms are modern, comfortably furnished with tea/coffee making facilities, Freeview television, private bath/shower rooms and free WiFi. For more details see our accommodation information.
Rebecca Rideal
Rebecca Rideal is a historian, award-winning podcast and TV producer and the author of 1666: Plague, War and Hellfire (2016).
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Event Fee (includes tea/coffee) | £90.00 |
| Baguette lunch | £7.90 |
| Hot lunch (two-course) | £22.40 |
Payment
Please see the terms and conditions for our open-access courses.
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, or are a care-leaver in the UK, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Module code: O26P113HIJ
Please use the ‘Book’ button on this page. Alternatively, please contact us to obtain an application form.
