Canewdon and its Witches by Harold Adshead
Canewdon Church, in the centre of "the witch country." - From an engraving dated 1815 from a painting by G. Arnold, A.R.A., by courtesy of the Essex Record Office.
The district around Canewdon was known as "the witch country" in medieval times. A strong belief in witches persisted in south-east Essex as late as the last century, and there was a "witch-finder" at Hadleigh until his death just over ninety years ago.
A LITTLE off the beaten track, Canewdon lies some four miles North of Rochford, It was once a small market town with its five manors and its Guild of St. Anne, which used to maintain a light in the seventy-five-foot tower of the fifteenth-century parish church of St. Nicholas to serve as a beacon to seamen and fishing folk along the nearby Essex coast and in the Thames estuary.
Many explanations have been advanced as to the etymology of Canewdon.
Perhaps the most romantic is the suggestion that it is a corruption of Canute's Dune (or Hill), as it is generally accepted that Canute encamped here the night before his last great fight with his pursuing adversary, Edmund Ironside, on October 18, 1016, which was fought in the valley between Ashingdon and the hill on which Canewdon stands.
In medieval times, when witchcraft was prevalent, Essex seemed to have more than its share of witches, and the district around Canewdon was widely known as "the witch country."
Many legends have been woven around witches, but in point of fact they were often mental invalids, subject to hysterical delusions, and when on trial would often voluntarily confess to almost any crime.
They would admit responsibility for the deaths of neighbours by casting spells, having unholy communion with the Devil, and changing into animal shape.
The witches' meetings were called sabbaths and seemed to consist of revels, eating and drinking, dancing and licentiousness. They were usually held at a distance from the village, and many witches claimed to fly on broomsticks to attend.
Modern analysis of statements made during trials reveals that many went on foot, but were in such a state of nervous stress bordering on somnabulism as to produce the delusion of flying.
An authentic account of a trial of a Canewdon witch may be found in the proceedings of the Essex Summer Sessions and general jail delivery held at Canewdon on July 25, 1580, which records:
A story was told of a Canewdon girl who went to keep house for her uncle at Woodham Ferrers; but, she being one of the witches, the uncle knew no peace during her stay, as nothing in the house would keep still.
AS late as the nineteenth century; a strong belief in witches persisted in this locality and in south-east Essex generally, and many stories arc told of a local " witch-finder'' who became a famous, if somewhat terrifying, figure in these parts.
His name was James Murrell. but throughout Essex he was known as " Cunning'' Murrell. He was born at Rayleigh, but lived and died at Hadleigh.
By profession a shoemaker, he augmented his income by fortune-telling, locating stolen property, discovering thieves, and detecting witches. He was supposed to be able to call out the Canewdon witches at will.
Practising as a herbalist, he used to administer drugs and potions extensively, and many people traveled far to consult him, though there was a great dread of his reputed occult powers.
If patients complained that they were making no progress, he used to say:
Despite his intensive incursions into necromancy, Murrell appeared to have been a man of strong religious convictions.
The Essex Countryside, Winter 53/54
The district around Canewdon was known as "the witch country" in medieval times. A strong belief in witches persisted in south-east Essex as late as the last century, and there was a "witch-finder" at Hadleigh until his death just over ninety years ago.
A LITTLE off the beaten track, Canewdon lies some four miles North of Rochford, It was once a small market town with its five manors and its Guild of St. Anne, which used to maintain a light in the seventy-five-foot tower of the fifteenth-century parish church of St. Nicholas to serve as a beacon to seamen and fishing folk along the nearby Essex coast and in the Thames estuary.
Many explanations have been advanced as to the etymology of Canewdon.
Perhaps the most romantic is the suggestion that it is a corruption of Canute's Dune (or Hill), as it is generally accepted that Canute encamped here the night before his last great fight with his pursuing adversary, Edmund Ironside, on October 18, 1016, which was fought in the valley between Ashingdon and the hill on which Canewdon stands.
In medieval times, when witchcraft was prevalent, Essex seemed to have more than its share of witches, and the district around Canewdon was widely known as "the witch country."
Many legends have been woven around witches, but in point of fact they were often mental invalids, subject to hysterical delusions, and when on trial would often voluntarily confess to almost any crime.
They would admit responsibility for the deaths of neighbours by casting spells, having unholy communion with the Devil, and changing into animal shape.
The witches' meetings were called sabbaths and seemed to consist of revels, eating and drinking, dancing and licentiousness. They were usually held at a distance from the village, and many witches claimed to fly on broomsticks to attend.
Modern analysis of statements made during trials reveals that many went on foot, but were in such a state of nervous stress bordering on somnabulism as to produce the delusion of flying.
An authentic account of a trial of a Canewdon witch may be found in the proceedings of the Essex Summer Sessions and general jail delivery held at Canewdon on July 25, 1580, which records:
In local folk-lore there is a saying that as long as Canewdon church steeple lasts there will always be six witches in Canewdon, three in silk and three in cotton, one being the parson's wife and one the butcher's wife. It was also believed that when a witch died a stone fell out of the church wall, and the witch was immediately replaced by another."Rose Pye of Canneydon, spinster, on 30th June at Canneydon bewitched Joan Snow
aged 1 year, daughter of Richard Snow of Canneydon, who languished until 20th
August following, when she died at Canneydon."
A story was told of a Canewdon girl who went to keep house for her uncle at Woodham Ferrers; but, she being one of the witches, the uncle knew no peace during her stay, as nothing in the house would keep still.
AS late as the nineteenth century; a strong belief in witches persisted in this locality and in south-east Essex generally, and many stories arc told of a local " witch-finder'' who became a famous, if somewhat terrifying, figure in these parts.
His name was James Murrell. but throughout Essex he was known as " Cunning'' Murrell. He was born at Rayleigh, but lived and died at Hadleigh.
By profession a shoemaker, he augmented his income by fortune-telling, locating stolen property, discovering thieves, and detecting witches. He was supposed to be able to call out the Canewdon witches at will.
Practising as a herbalist, he used to administer drugs and potions extensively, and many people traveled far to consult him, though there was a great dread of his reputed occult powers.
If patients complained that they were making no progress, he used to say:
"Oh ! but she is a strong one [meaning the witch], but I can get the better ofMurrell used much ingenuity in devising weird apparatus to practise his spells and to make witch-bottles to trap witches.
her for another half-a-crown."
Despite his intensive incursions into necromancy, Murrell appeared to have been a man of strong religious convictions.
The Essex Countryside, Winter 53/54
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