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Maidstone Council Seeks Pardon for Executed Witches

11/1/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Maidstone Borough Council is campaigning for a pardon for women executed under the Witchcraft Act of 1562.
Between 1560 and 1700, over 500 women were tried for witchcraft in the southeast, and 112 were executed.
A 1652 trial involved six women accused of bewitching children, resulting in public executions at Penenden Heath.
Councillor Stuart Jeffery (Maidstone Borough Council) has urged the government to address these injustices.

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Story summary

Maidstone Borough Council is campaigning for a pardon for women executed under the Witchcraft Act of 1562.
Between 1560 and 1700, over 500 women were tried for witchcraft in the southeast, and 112 were executed.
A 1652 trial involved six women accused of bewitching children, resulting in public executions at Penenden Heath.
Councillor Stuart Jeffery (Maidstone Borough Council) has urged the government to address these injustices.