Kineburn is the fictional name for my actual childhood home, Swinsty Hall, in the Washburn Valley, between Otley and Harrogate. In the 17th century the housekeeper there was accused of witchcraft, along with a great many other women in the valley, by Edward Fairfax.
Edward Fairfax was the half brother of Thomas, who had achieved very high office in the 17th century, but Edward was also well known and esteemed as a poet and translator. His accusations against the ‘Timble Witches’ are written down in his book ‘Daemonologia’. His daughters had strange hallucinations and went into trances and he believes these were caused by the witches. However, none of the women hanged for their alleged crimes. Perhaps some of the supposed witchcraft in the valley was ergot poisoning, since one man is said to have lost a foot to gangrene within a day or two of having been touched by one of the women, but we do not know what caused the mass hysteria, really. Certainly Fairfax was a very intelligent man and it seems odd he went in for such silliness.
I changed the name of the Housekeeper as I wanted to protect her reputation. I don’t mention the poet and translator by name in the story, likewise, as they are dead and can’t defend themselves. I do libel all sorts of living people though. So don’t grass me up.
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