The WW2 Witch Trial of Hellish Nell

The WW2 Witch Trial of Hellish Nell

What made a working class woman from Edinburgh become such a threat to British intelligence services during the Second World War, that they tried her as a witch?


In today's episode, we're telling you the story of Helen Duncan, aka Hellish Brown, a medium who lays claim to being the last woman in England to be tried as a witch, culminating in her trial in 1944 under the 1735 Witchcraft Act.


Joining us is Jess Marlton, manager of Bodmin Jail where all sorts of paranormal events take place.


What made Duncan's performances so memorable? Why did her trial capture the public's imagination? And how does the 1735 Witchcraft Act live on today?


Let's go Betwixt the Sheets to find out.


This podcast was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.


world-renowned historians from History Hit. Watch them on your smart TV or on the go with your mobile device. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW sign up now for your 14-day free trial.


We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.


You can take part in our listener survey here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaksot(1488)

Mount Hiei: Home of Japan's Warrior Monks

Mount Hiei: Home of Japan's Warrior Monks

Assassin's Creed: Shadows gives players the chance to visit the imperial capital of medieval Japan. But today, we're heading to a mountain lying just northeast of the capital: Mount Hiei, a sacred sit...

20 Touko 202538min

The Nazi Occupation of Jersey

The Nazi Occupation of Jersey

The only British territory ever occupied by the Nazis was the Channel Islands. From 1940 to the end of the war, the Germans turned Jersey, and some of the islands around it, into an impenetrable fortr...

18 Touko 202550min

Why is Timbuktu Famous?

Why is Timbuktu Famous?

Synonymous for somewhere far away, Timbuktu has been mythologised by the stories of old European explorers. But in fact, for centuries it was in fact a key trading post on the edge of the Sahara and t...

15 Touko 202531min

The Glorious Revolution

The Glorious Revolution

In this episode we hear all about the Glorious Revolution, a pivotal moment in British history that saw the overthrow of King James II and the accession to the throne of William III and Mary II.For th...

13 Touko 202546min

The Siege of Vienna

The Siege of Vienna

In the summer of 1683, Vienna was under siege. A vast Ottoman army surrounded the city, poised to breach the walls and clear the way for Ottoman expansion into Central Europe. Inside the city, famine ...

11 Touko 202547min

The History of Alcatraz

The History of Alcatraz

Home to the likes of Al Capone and George 'Machine Gun' Kelly, Alcatraz was once the jewel in the American prison system. The wind-swept island fortress was the final stop for the nation's most danger...

8 Touko 202536min

VE Day

VE Day

When the Second World War finally ended 80 years ago, there was a mixed reaction in Britain. Today, we hear about these varying responses, from elation and celebration to reticence and restraint.For t...

6 Touko 202533min

How did Andrew Jackson Change the U.S. Presidency?

How did Andrew Jackson Change the U.S. Presidency?

A hero to some, and a villain to others, the seventh president of the United States was a populist firebrand who reshaped America and left a legacy that still echoes today. In this episode, Dan dives ...

4 Touko 202541min

Suosittua kategoriassa Historia

olipa-kerran-otsikko
gogin-ja-janin-maailmanhistoria
mayday-fi
huijarit
mystista
tsunami
totuus-vai-salaliitto
rss-ikiuni
konginkangas
rouva-diktaattori
rss-subjektiivinen-todistaja
sotaa-ja-historiaa-podi
rss-i-dont-like-mondays-2
tiedetta-ja-sirkushuveja-vanhojen-aikojen-podcast
rss-peter-peter
rss-kirkon-ihmeellisimmat-tarinat
maailmanpuu
rss-iltanuotiolla
romani-podcast
rss-kalmakabinetti