The Frome Family History Group welcomed Andrew Pickering to their November meeting.
Andrew gave a fascinating and often spine chilling talk on the seventeenth century vicar of Frome, Joseph Glanvill.
Glanvill was born in 1636, educated at Oxford University and became vicar of Frome in 1662 where he became a significant demonologist, a jewel in our local heritage crown and a fact which in Andrew’s opinion should be more widely celebrated.
Joseph Glanvill was also a scientist, philosopher, prolific writer and a member of the Royal Society. He was the author of a book on witchcraft entitled Sadducismus Triumphatus, published posthumously in 1681, a book which affirmed the existence of witches and is noted for the account of the Drummer of Tedworth an early poltergeist story.
In 1661 a landowner from Tedworth (now called Tidworth) in Wiltshire had brought a lawsuit against a vagrant drummer called William Drury whom he accused of collecting money by false pretences. The landowner, John Mompesson, found his house plagued by nocturnal drumming, caused, it was alleged, by witchcraft. Glanvill visited the house and claimed to have heard strange scratching noises behind the bed in the children’s room. When he placed his hand behind the bed the noise stopped and moved to another area in the room. When he removed his hand the scratching returned to its former position behind the bed.
Witchcraft was arguably more prevalent in the West Country than anywhere else in the country in the seventeenth century. A number of sabbat meetings were known to be held locally, Shepton Mallet, Brewham and Bruton being particularly involved.
One Margaret Agar from Brewham would stick pins in effigies in a sort of reversal of the Christian baptism ceremony the object being to cause harm or even death to the unfortunate victim. Meetings thought to be with the devil took place with dance, music and a man in black. Andrew suggested to us that these could in fact have been clandestine meetings of non-conformist Christians.
Andrew concluded his talk with a little information on his sources concluding that witchcraft was a fascinating vehicle for exploring both family and local history. He was thanked for a most enjoyable and thought provoking evening.
Our next meeting will be the annual business meeting on January 31st 2017 followed by Sue Langdon talking about recycling houses and dendrochronology. Our regular family history advice sessions continue on the first Saturday each month at the library. For more information please go to our website www.fromefamilyhistorygroup.co.uk