I seem to have read quite a few historical novels about witch trials over the last few years – The Witchfinder’s Sister by Beth Underdown, The Familiars by Stacey Halls and Widdershins by Helen Steadman, to name just three. Jill Dawson’s latest novel, The Bewitching, is another and it tells the story of the Witches of Warboys. I had never read anything about this particular case until now, yet it’s apparently one of the best-known of the 16th century witch trials and is thought to have strongly influenced the Witchcraft Act of 1604. In her author’s note, Jill Dawson states that many of the details described in the novel appeared in a pamphlet published at the time, although she has shortened the time frame and invented some of the characters and incidents.
Most of the novel is narrated by Martha, a servant in the household of the Throckmortons, a wealthy family who live in the village of Warboys in Cambridgeshire. Abandoned at birth by her mother and raised by a nun, Martha has been in the service of the Throckmortons for many years now and has watched her master, Robert Throckmorton, rise in the world to his current position of Squire of Warboys Manor. When, one by one, the squire’s five young daughters begin to suffer from sudden attacks of shaking and twitching, Martha is as distressed as if they were her own children. No one knows what is causing these fits, but one daughter after another accuses a neighbour, Alice Samuel, of bewitching them.
To the reader, it seems obvious from the beginning that Alice is innocent – and Martha also feels uneasy about the girls’ accusations, but knows that as a servant her opinion is unlikely to be wanted or welcomed. Although it’s clear that Alice is not a witch, what is less clear is why five previously healthy children should all suddenly be struck with the same affliction and why they should all choose to blame a woman who has done nothing to harm them. There’s a sense of mystery running throughout the whole novel which I found quite unsettling, because even if nobody has actually been ‘bewitched’, there’s definitely something sinister going on at Warboys Manor.
We don’t see very much of Alice’s point of view until later in the book, when she is forced to stand trial at Huntingdon Assizes in 1593 and her daughter, Nessie, and husband, John, also find themselves accused. By this time three ‘scholars of divinity’ have arrived from Cambridge University armed with a handbook on witch-hunting, the Malleus Maleficarum, and further accusations against the Samuels have been made by the powerful Cromwell family. In this atmosphere of superstition, misogyny and fear, poor Alice doesn’t stand a chance.
I found The Bewitching very slow at first, but it became more absorbing later on – and there were even one or two twists, which hadn’t occurred to me but probably should have done! The time period is beautifully evoked, with the language carefully chosen to suit the era and sometimes taken straight from the historical accounts (Alice wears a ‘black thrumbed cap’ and the girls don’t just ‘have fits’ – they are always described as being ‘in their fits’). It’s an eerie and unusual novel and although it didn’t always succeed in holding my attention, I enjoyed it overall. I’ll have to look for Jill Dawson’s earlier books now; she’s written so many and I don’t know how I’ve never come across any of them before!
Thanks to Sceptre for providing a copy of this book for review via NetGalley.
This is book 38/50 read for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2022.
She Reads Novels 
So far, I’ve only read Dawson’s The Language of Birds, but on the strength of that, and of your review, I’m willing to give this one a go too.
The Language of Birds does sound interesting. I might try that one, if I decide to give one of her others a go.
I’ve only read The Hangman’s Daughter so far which was set around witchcraft accusations and interrogation, and have the Familiars on my TBR as well. While I wasn’t sure if I wanted to add any more to my pile at the moment, this does sound well done with the mystery thread and the time period. So i am tempted to explore
Sorry for tempting you to add more to your pile! If only we had more time to read! I haven’t read The Hangman’s Daughter but have read another book from the same series – I didn’t know that one was about witchcraft.
I am yet to read more of that series but did enjoy the first very much. I know. If there were more than 24 hours in a day perhaps, though apparently the earth is spinning faster…
I’m sure this book comes up with a reason why all the girls were “afflicted,” but you should read Stacy Schiff’s nonfiction book about the Salem witch trials, because that’s a characteristic of these events. It’s really interesting. It’s called The Witches: Salem, 1692.
I’ll try to read the Stacy Schiff book – thanks. Actually, this book doesn’t really give an explanation for the girls’ affliction, but leaves it open to interpretation. It’s interesting that the Salem witch trials had the same characteristic.
Maybe where she got the idea.
This sounds really interesting, I’m always intrigued by historical fiction about witches so I’ll definitely be reading this!
Yes, books about witches are fascinating, particularly when they’re based on historical fact, as this one is.
That’s a good theme you have going in historical fiction. I think I’d enjoy exploring the history of witches that way.
I think books about witches and witch trials are fascinating, particularly when they’re based on true events.
I haven’t heard of Jill Dawson before but this sound really good!
Thanks for sharing your review with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
I had never heard of her either until I came across this book.