Not Just the Tudors Enchanted Realms: Fairies in the 16th Century
Jan 1, 2026
Professor Diane Purkiss, a scholar of witchcraft and folklore, joins Professor Suzannah Lipscomb to explore the menacing reality of 16th-century fairies. They debunk the Tinkerbell myth, revealing fairies as dangerous beings involved in child-snatching and seduction. Purkiss explains their role in significant life transitions and challenges the views of witch trials, where fairies were often misinterpreted as demonic. The conversation delves into fairy tales as a way for women to address taboo issues and the broader societal implications of belief in these supernatural figures.
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Elsbeth Roche's Fairy Or Devil Encounter
- Elsbeth describes a dead relation as a man in black who offered occult powers in exchange for repeated sex.
- Calvinist interrogators translated her fairy story into dealings with the devil, causing tragic misunderstanding.
Familiars: Fairies Reinterpreted As Demons
- English witch trials often recast household fairies as demonic familiars to produce tangible evidence.
- Clerks turned offerings to brownies into proof of deals with the devil.
Witch Marks Reveal Gendered Fears
- Witch marks and the idea of feeding familiars merged maternal and sexual anxieties about women's bodies.
- Examiners conflated teats, clitoris and hemorrhoids while searching for proof of witchcraft.