Fabulous Folklore with Icy14 Jun 2025

Witches in History and Superstition with Willow Winsham

In this second episode of our Witches, Cunning Folk & Magic theme, I'm talking to Willow Winsham, an author and historian specialising in folklore, and the history of the English witch trials. Her books include the highly popular Treasury of Folklore series from Batsford Books, and Accused: British Witches Throughout History from Pen and Sword Books. Her passion for uncovering fascinating topics and dedication to impeccable research guarantees an accessible and engaging read, whatever the subject.

Willow is also co-founder of #FolkloreThursday, the popular website and social media phenomenon dedicated to sharing folklore, fairytales and traditions from across the globe.

When not writing, Willow spends her time crocheting, delving into family history research, and indulging an ever-growing board game habit. She lives in Derbyshire with her three children and two British Shorthair cats.

In this chat, we talk about how witches appear in history, why there is such an ongoing fascination with the witch, and Helen Duncan, the last woman tried under the 1735 Witchcraft Act!

Order The Story of Witches: Folklore, History and Superstition: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/12992/9781849949064

Find Willow on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/willowwinsham.bsky.social

Get your free guide to home protection the folklore way here: https://www.icysedgwick.com/fab-folklore/

Become a member of the Fabulous Folklore Family for bonus episodes and articles at https://patreon.com/bePatron?u=2380595

Buy Icy a coffee or sign up for bonus episodes at: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick

Fabulous Folklore Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/fabulous_folklore

Pre-recorded illustrated talks: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick/shop

Request an episode: https://forms.gle/gqG7xQNLfbMg1mDv7

Get extra snippets of folklore on Instagram at https://instagram.com/icysedgwick

Find Icy on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/icysedgwick.bsky.social

'Like' Fabulous Folklore on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fabulousfolklore/

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(471)

Skiffle: A 1950s British Musical Craze with DIY Instruments

When you think of the term ‘handmade’, you might not immediately think of music. After all, we buy instruments; we don’t generally make them ourselves. Yet in the case of skiffle, this is precisely wh...

7 Nov 23min

Three Guest Ghost Stories for Halloween

May I wish you the happiest of Halloweens - if, indeed, a happy Halloween is something we can achieve! As this is the opening day of a series of days devoted to the dead, which in my view culminates ...

31 Okt 32min

US Folk Horror with Candice Bailey and Gavin Lees

This month on Fabulous Folklore Presents, I'm joined by Candice Bailey and Gavin Lees, the co-editors of the Crossroads folk horror zine. Candice also writes for the folk horror blog The Harvest Maid'...

27 Okt 58min

Three More Female Ghosts from North East England

It is the month of Halloween so welcome to the Fabulous Folklore Fireside, for we shall have some more ghostly tales this week! Unlike my usual episodes, which feature some kind of dissection of the ...

24 Okt 16min

Three Ghosthunters and a Podcast with Rob Kirkup and Wayne Gilbert

For this special Spooky Season episode of Fabulous Folklore, I'm joined by my very good friends Rob Kirkup from the How Haunted? podcast, and Wayne Gilbert from the Eerie Edinburgh podcast. Both have...

17 Okt 1h 36min

3 Ghostly Tales from North East England for Halloween

It is the month of Halloween so welcome to the Fabulous Folklore Fireside, for we shall have some ghostly tales this week! Unlike my usual episodes, which feature some kind of dissection of the stori...

10 Okt 18min

Phantom Cubes and Spectral Smells: Ghost Stories with Three Ravens

Welcome to Spooky Season! I'm talking to Eleanor Conlon and Martin Vaux from the Three Ravens podcast about ghost stories! We talk about the fascination we have for ghost stories, what ghost stories n...

3 Okt 1h 22min

Very Very Frightening: The Folklore of Thunder and Lightning

Thunder and lightning offer one of nature's more cinematic spectacles, so it's unsurprising they would accrue a degree of folklore. The danger that lightning particularly poses sees a range of practic...

26 Sep 19min