About the Area

The town of Barley and the area known as the Pendle Hill are rich in history and fascinating stories. Dating back to the 13th century, the landmark was originally named Pennul or Penhul, originating from the Cumbric pen and the Old English hyll, both of which translate to “hill”.

The area is most well known for the infamous Pendle Witch Trials of 1612. One of the most famous witch trials in history, the incident saw twelve women accused of witchcraft, with eleven hanging for the alleged crimes and one dying during imprisonment. The accusations were largely thrown at two families, the Demdikes and the Chattox’s, and the elderly widows at the head of the families, Elizabeth Southern (Old Demdike) and Anne Whittle (Mother Chattox).

The two rivals inflated their reputations for witchcraft in the area to con locals for money, leading to Elizabeth’s Granddaughter being accused of cursing a local man who suffered a stroke whilst travelling. After questioning, she accused other members of her family and the Chaddox family of witchcraft, including her grandmother. Further investigations led to a total of twelve people being put on trial. They were found guilty and subsequently taken to Lancaster Castle to be executed.

The Pendle Hill is also famous as the place where George Fox first envisioned the Religious Society of Friends, more commonly known as the Quaker movement. During a journey to the top of Pendle Hill, Fox came to the belief that the presence of God was found in people rather than churches, and so aimed to move people away from traditional organised religion and led to more modern beliefs such as spiritual equality between men and women. Fox’s epiphany at the top of Pendle Hill led to a still ongoing movement, spreading over to America.