Marion Gibson

Marion Gibson, historian and author of Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials, specialises in early modern witchcraft cases. She recounts the St Osyth hunt: a cunning woman accused, children's testimonies, coercive interrogations, grisly trial details, and how local power, folk healers and pamphlets shaped wider witchcraft persecutions.

Historian Marion Gibson expertly unpacks the chilling Vardø witch trials of 1617, sparked by a catastrophic storm that claimed 40 fishermen. She explores the scapegoating of local women and the Sami community, detailing the pressures that led to coerced confessions. Gibson also sheds light on the cultural context, explaining the intersection of witchcraft beliefs, gender dynamics, and colonial power in Norway. The discussion weaves through themes of fear, othering, and contemporary parallels, elevating the historical narrative into a broader commentary on scapegoating.

In March 1582, a number of women from the small Essex village of St Osyth were hanged for the crime of witchcraft. Several others, including one man, died in prison, in what was a shocking and highly localised witch-hunt. In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Marion Gibson, who offers revelatory new insights into the personal histories of those who were denied the chance to speak for themselves.This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.PLEASE VOTE NOW! for Dan Snow's History Hit in the British Podcast Awards Listener's Choice category here. Every vote counts, thank you!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.