Witches Road Trail
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DIRECTIONS from Pendle Lancaster Follow the Tourism Signs • The starting point for the Pendle Witch Trail is at Pendle The Year The Trail Heritage Centre, in Barrowford near Nelson. • Follow the A682 out of Barrowford to Blacko. Jubilee Tower Turn left at the sign to Roughlee. r oo M e • At the crossroads carry straight on to Newchurch. grass M it High oo h r W • Turn right past Witches Galore, go up the hill. T rou Emmets gh of • Keep straight on through Barley Village past the Pendle The Pendle Witches lived at Bow 1612 land Inn, the road bends sharp left to Downham. Sykes a turbulent time in England’s Dunsop Bridge • Go past the Assheton Arms and follow the road to the left, history. It was an era of and keep left. • Turn left to Clitheroe following the A671. ill Moor religious persecution and H l M a r superstition. Newton • Follow signs for the Castle & Museum and take time to Waddington explore this historic market town. Whalley Abbey is just 4 Chatburn miles from Clitheroe and makes a worthwhile diversion. Then take the B6478 to Waddington and the Trough of Newchurch Downham Bowland. Roughlee James I was King and he lived Barrowford • Follow signs to Newton, past the Parker Arms (B6478). in fear of rebellion. He had • In Newton Village turn left to Dunsop Bridge. Clitheroe survived the Gunpowder Plot of Pendle • Go through Dunsop Bridge then turn right to the Trough H il Colne l of Bowland and Lancaster. 1605 where the Catholic plotters Nelson • Follow signs to Lancaster. had tried to blow up the Houses of • At Golgotha Village turn right, follow City Centre signs. Parliament in an attempt to destroy • When in Lancaster City Centre follow brown signs for his Protestant rule. Castle, Priory and Museums. DIRECTIONS from Lancaster His fear and anger brought a • From the City Centre, turn left at Dalton Square in front backlash of harsher penalties against of the Town Hall and follow signs to Clitheroe via the anyone keeping the Catholic faith. Trough of Bowland. • After the Trough of Bowland turn left to Dunsop Bridge and at Newton pass through the village and turn right following signs to Clitheroe. Pass through Waddington. His suspicious nature led • On arrival in Clitheroe follow signs for Castle and Museum and take time to explore this historic market town. Whalley to an obsession with England was a country divided and the county King James was obsessed with witchcraft and his book Abbey is just 4 miles from Clitheroe and makes a of Lancashire, which had long been a Catholic Daemonology showed local magistrates what to look for worthwhile diversion. stronghold, was under the eye of suspicion. when tracking down witches after making the practice of witchcraft a capital offence. • On departure follow the main street to the A671 to Witchcraft. The Earl of Derby had described the Chatburn. county in 1583 as ‘this so unbridled and bad an handful of England’. The Local magistrates became zealous in • Turn right in front of Hudsons Ices, following the road confession by two of the gunpowder their pursuit of witchcraft, knowing down through Downham going left after the bridge to climb plotters that they were going to start that convictions would find them the hill. favour with the King. When the a rising in Lancashire against the • Follow road to Barley and follow signs to Burnley. King added to Lancashire’s reputation Pendle Witches were put on trial a as a dangerous, lawless place. In 1612 London court clerk, Thomas Potts was • Go through Newchurch in Pendle. Turn left past Witches the King ordered Justices of the Peace asked to make a record of the trial to send Galore down Jinny Lane. At the crossroads go straight on to in Lancashire to report anyone who did not around the country as a warning and a guide Roughlee. on finding evidence of witchcraft. The document take Protestant communion in church and prosecute • Drive past Bay Horse pub in Roughlee and at the end of the was dedicated to Sir Thomas Knyvet - the man who them. The dividing line between magic and religion road turn right through Blacko into Barrowford where the arrested Guy Fawkes in the cellars beneath the Houses was not clear cut in the 17th century. Protestants often Trail finishes at Pendle Heritage Centre. spoke of Catholic practices as a form of conjuring, and of Parliament in the year 1605. considered their prayers as charms. Please use these directions with a road atlas or O.S. Map. The route is not suitable for coaches. 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Pendle Blackburn, OS Witches buy to also available are of these guides above Many www.visitlancaster.co.uk online from Mist in the of Witches Discoverie Wonderful Pendle Walks & Cycle Rides Countie Return completed form with cheque to: to: with cheque form completed Return Centre Pendle Discover Colne, Vivary Way, BB8 9NW Lancashire, I Council. Borough Pendle No. Mastercard/Visa/Maestro Expires Name Address Code Post Tel descent into the historic CityofLancaster. thehistoric descent into andthedramatic ofBowland Trough narrow up the thebreathtaking drive forget won’t You inEngland. unspoiltjourneys one ofthemost this The wildbeautyofthelandscapemakes classic climb up Pendle Hill. classic climbup Pendle includingthe enjoy to walks visit andmany to places are There alongtheway. or farmhouses houses,hotels atguest staying days, three at least taking by oftheexperience the most Make bike. minibusor car, by The 45milescanbe followed mountains District andthesea. in theLake Hodder andtake theRiver span thehillsabove ofviews which variety anastonishing are There , Ribble Valley Borough Council Borough London Manchester Pendle Clitheroe Lancaster , Lancaster Centre Information Visitor House Lane, Meeting The Storey, LA1 1TH Lancaster, 582394 (01524) Tel: Email: [email protected] www.visitlancaster.co.uk Ribble Valley Centre Information Visitor Clitheroe Council Borough Ribble Valley BB7 2RA Clitheroe, Walk, Church 425566 (01200) Tel: Email: [email protected] Pendle Centre Pendle Discover 856186 (01282) Tel: Centre, Information Tourist Barnoldswick. 666704 (01282) Tel: Herritage Centre Pendle 677150 (01282) Tel: Email: [email protected] www.visitpendle.com Visitor & Accommodation Guides are Guides are & Accommodation Visitor contacting by the area each for free available numbers below. Pendle Council i_job 2757 08/09 2757 i_job Council Pendle ATTRACTIONS in Pendle ATTRACTIONS in Ribble Valley ATTRACTIONS in Lancaster The1612 events of Early 1600s Two rival peasant families live on the slopes of Pendle Hill. They are led by two old women called Demdike and Chattox. The men of their families are dead, leaving them in poverty to beg and find work where they can. Many local people live in fear of them, believing them to have special powers. March 18th 1612 Alizon Device, grand-daughter of Demdike, is begging on the road to Colne. A pedlar refuses her some pins and she curses him. Suddenly a black dog appears and she orders Pendle Hill Clitheroe Castle & Museum Lancaster Castle it to lame the pedlar who collapses, paralysed on the left side. Climb the mysterious hill for a breathtaking view over the landscape which was home to the Now fully open after a complete makeover, the Museum stands high on Castle Hill, in the This imposing fortress was the setting for the imprisonment and trial of the Pendle Witches. Pendle Witches. The traditional starting point for the climb is Barley village, which is also the shadow of the Norman Castle Keep which has dominated Clitheroe’s skyline for over 800 years. Guided tours are available of the vaulted Shire Hall; The Drop Room; Hadrian’s Tower; March 30th 1612 start of Pendle’s “Walking with Witches” walking trail. Discover the ‘hands-on’ galleries, collections and displays which reveal amazing stories and take Dungeons; The Grand Jury Room and Courts. The Castle is still used as a prison and a court Alizon Device is hauled before the Justice Roger Nowell and confesses to witchcraft.