First Memorial for Victims of the Bury St Edmunds Witchcraft Trials

Bury St Edmunds, a town that once saw 18 people hanged for witchcraft in one day, is to get its first commemorative sculpture to them and the other victims of this dark period of its history.

Residents and visitors to Bury St Edmunds will also be able to witness the recreation of the real-life witch trial of Rose Cullender and Amy Denny that took place in the town back in 1662 and through its first accepted use of “spectral evidence” went on to influence the subsequent Salem Witch Trials 30 years later in the United States.

Both have been made possible after The Bury Society backed the West Suffolk Council led heritage projects with more than £15,000 of funding.

The commemorative sculpture will display the names of all the known victims of the witchcraft trials in Bury St Edmunds which span nearly 100 years from 1599 to 1694. Amongst them will be the names of Amy Denny and Rose Cullender as well as the 16 women and 2 men, one of whom was a vicar, hanged in a single day in 1645. They were a among some 140 people from all over Suffolk rounded up and brought by cart to Bury St Edmunds for trial.

It has been designed by Kate Jackson, former lead singer of The Long Blondes, from Bury St Edmunds, and is being made by Suffolk wood carver John Williams. The commemorative sculpture is due to go on display at Moyse’s Hall Museum at the end of the month.

The museum, which is run by West Suffolk Council, features amongst its collections A Tryal of Witches, At the Assizes Held at Bury St Edmunds for the County of Suffolk, a 310-year-old book which gives an account of the 1662 trial of Rose Cullender and Amy Denny (misspelt as Duny in the historic records of the time).

It is their trial that will be brought to life at The Guildhall in Bury St Edmunds in February. Magic Floor Productions will put on four public performances and another four that will be exclusively for local schools.

The project marks a push by the West Suffolk Council run museum for greater partnership work with artists, actors, heritage sites, and educational institutions from across the district all involved while the Bury Society has been pivotal both with its funding and advice.

Cllr Ian Shipp, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture at West Suffolk Council said: “We are delighted to have this support from the Bury Society for the commemorative sculpture and for the performances at The Guildhall early next year. The Society helped us secure the book recording Rose Cullender and Amy Denny’s trial last year and we are very grateful for their continuing support.”

“The witch trials were a moral panic that led to thousands of people being persecuted and executed across England, Europe and the United States. What happened in Bury St Edmunds was a part of that dark and brutal history and shouldn’t be forgotten.”

Terry O’Donoghue, Chair of The Bury Society said: “The Bury Society CIO is delighted to be able to help with such a major community and heritage initiative. We are particularly pleased to help fund both the enduring sculptural aspects of the project as well as the public and school performances in the Guildhall; an opportunity to highlight how playing on insecurity, fear and jealousy, can lead to shameful, tragic consequences.”

The Friends of Moyse’s Hall Museum has also given £500 to the project which will also see new display panels for the Crime and Punishment section of the museum. West Suffolk Council is investing in the displays and their long-term care.

Dr Steve Jones, Secretary of the Friends of Moyses Hall said: “Today it’s easy to accept the commercialised festivities of Halloween as innocent fun, but in 17th century Bury St Edmunds, fear of witches was real and superstition claimed numerous lives. Events here led to other persecutions, notably the witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts.”

“While attention often focuses on the witch finders and their dubious methods, less is known about their victims, persecuted as a result of fear, envy and greed. This project aims to redress the balance by concentrating on the so-called witches: their lives and experiences.”

“The Friends of Moyse's Hall are delighted to support this important project. The victims deserve our attention, and their story needs to be told.”

To find out more about the Bury St Edmunds witch trials visit our Guide and to discover more about our town's terrible tales, haunted history and Halloween evenets visit Spooky Bury St Edmunds.