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Witch Trial Locations to Explore in Bury St Edmunds

Long before 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, England was gripped by waves of paranoia during the 16th and 17th centuries. The Bury St Edmunds witch trials were among the most significant witch hunts in England, particularly the 1645 and 1662 trials.

In 1645 alone, dozens were accused and executed. In 1662, the trial of Amy Denny and Rose Cullender became especially influential. The legal reasoning used in their case was later referenced in New England, helping shape courtroom approaches during the Salem Witch Trials.

For American travelers researching the origins of the Salem Witch Trials, this is where the story truly begins.

Moyse's Hall Museum

If you’re fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials, early American hysteria, or historic witch trial sites, there’s one place in the UK that belongs on your travel list: Bury St Edmunds, England.

Often overlooked by travellers, our quiet Suffolk market town played a major role in the history of the Witch Trials in the UK — and directly influenced the legal thinking that later fuelled the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts.

For those interested in dark tourism in the UK, Bury St Edmunds offers authentic witch trial locations and eerie museum exhibits tied to folk magic and superstition.

Here’s your guide to exploring the Bury St Edmunds Witch Trials locations.

Moyse's Hall Museum

Start at Moyse’s Hall Museum. Dating back to the 12th century, this medieval building once served as a prison and now houses one of the most compelling collections related to folklore, superstition, witchcraft and the Bury St Edmunds Witch Trials.

Inside you’ll find:

A rare copy of A Tryal of Witches - a 300-year-old rare book, giving an account of one of Bury St Edmunds’ infamous witch trials, on display in the town’s museum. The book accounts for the 1662 trial of Rose Cullender and Amy Denny (listed in the book incorrectly as Duny) - the trial which links Bury St Edmunds to the famous Salem Witch Trials.

Anti-witchcraft charms - these include mummified cats, child and adult shoes, which were bricked up in the walls of Suffolk properties to keep witches and evil spirits away.

Witchcraft tools - these include a rare 17th century Elder Wand (in the Harry Potter novels, the Elder Wand was considered the most powerful wand of all), a witch’s poppet, and witch bottles.

For fans of Salem Witch Trials history, this museum connects the dots between Witch Trials in the UK and Witch Trials in the USA.

The Old Assizes Site – Where the Witch Trials Took Place

The original Assizes Court, where accused witches were tried, once stood near today’s old Shire Hall in Bury St Edmunds, a former Magistrates Court.

Although the original building no longer survives, standing here places you at the heart of one of the most important witch trial sites in England.

This is where:

Testimonies of spectral evidence were debated

Accused women faced juries

Legal arguments later echoed in colonial America

For those exploring historic witch trial locations in the UK, this is sacred ground.

The Nutshell

No dark tourism guide to Bury St Edmunds is complete without visiting The Nutshell, officially recognized as one of the smallest pubs in Britain.

Accused Witches were taken to a building where The Nutshell pub is today and had their nails cut or locks of hair taken. The nails and hair were stored in brown jars in the basement as it was thought that if you were not whole when you died, you wouldn’t be able to come back as a whole witch in the next life!

Hanging above the bar is a mummified cat — historically believed to ward off evil spirits and witchcraft.

For American visitors used to Salem’s witch-themed taverns and museums, The Nutshell offers a distinctly English counterpart — atmospheric, historic, and deeply connected to the folklore surrounding England’s witch hunts.

It’s also the perfect place to reflect on the darker side of Witch Trials UK history over a locally brewed Suffolk ale.