History’s Shadows in the Valleys and Hills
When we speak of witch trials, most people think of Salem or Lancashire—but Wales has its own dark and often overlooked chapter in this tragic history. Though less documented and more fragmented, the Welsh witch trials were no less terrifying for those who lived through them.
Tucked between valleys, whispered in market squares, and buried in local church records, the stories of Welsh cunning folk and the women who were persecuted as witches offer a haunting glimpse into the intersection of folklore, fear, and folklore-based justice.
Let’s uncover what history has tried to forget.
🧹 Magic and Healing in Welsh Folk Culture
Unlike other parts of the UK, Wales had a long-standing tradition of wise women and cunning men—local healers, herbalists, midwives, and charmers. These individuals were often seen as helpers rather than heretics, drawing on folk practices rooted in pre-Christian Celtic beliefs.
Magic here was part of daily life: charms against the evil eye, protection for livestock, love potions, blessings for harvest.
But when religious tensions, disease, and misfortune came to town, even the most beloved healer could become a suspect.
⚖️ Witch Trials in Wales: What We Know
While England saw hundreds of witch executions, only a handful of trials occurred in Wales, and very few resulted in death sentences—but they were still harrowing.
🧙‍♀️ Gwen ferch Ellis (1594)
The first recorded Welsh woman tried for witchcraft. Gwen was a herbalist and healer in Denbighshire. Though respected by many, she was accused of cursing a man with a charm. Authorities claimed they found a written spell in her house—likely a folk blessing.
She was found guilty and hanged. Some say her ghost still lingers near the old town walls.
🧙‍♂️ Richard Jones (1655) – The Conjuror of Maentwrog
A male cunning man tried in North Wales for allegedly bewitching a neighbour’s cattle. Though he was acquitted, his reputation never recovered. Folklore says he retreated into the mountains and lived in isolation until his death.
🕯️ The Llanidloes Accusations
Records from Powys in the 17th century detail accusations against multiple women suspected of using “unholy charms” during childbirth. There’s no evidence of executions, but several were ostracised and driven from their communities, their names scrubbed from church records.
đź”® Witch Marks and Charms: Protection or Proof?
In Welsh cottages and churches, you can still find witch marks—scratched symbols meant to ward off evil. Ironically, these marks, herbs, and protective charms were sometimes used as evidence in trials.
Common signs of a supposed witch included:
- A hidden pouch of rowan berries or herbs
- Knotted cords (used in weather magic)
- A “witch’s bottle” buried near the hearth
- Familiar animals like black cats, birds, or even bees
These were often just signs of folk tradition—but fear made everything dangerous.
🌒 Why So Few Executions?
Unlike England and Scotland, Wales lacked a widespread culture of witch-hunting, partly because:
- The Welsh legal system often valued community testimony over superstition.
- The Celtic oral tradition allowed magical practices to quietly survive.
- Many areas were rural and isolated, where healers were too essential to lose.
Still, the fear was real—and the damage done by suspicion, exile, and shame is undeniable.
🧠Want to Know More?
- We’re working on a digital map of Welsh Witch Sites—launching this summer!
- Check the Haunted Wishes shop for protection charms, herbal spell kits, and folklore prints
- Don’t miss our upcoming post: “The Witch of Wookey Hole” (June 28)
🕯️ The Welsh witches weren’t burned at the stake en masse—but they were buried in silence. Now, we remember.