Maidstone: Petition seeks royal pardon for women hanged as witches

A group of local councilors in Maidstone, a town in southern England, is preparing a formal petition to King Charles III. Their goal is to secure an official pardon for the women convicted of witchcraft and executed in the town. The petition targets more than 20 individuals who were hanged during the 1600s.

Claire Kehily, a member of the Maidstone Borough Council, argues that the convictions represent a miscarriage of justice. She notes that the accused were rarely able to prove their innocence during trials that took place roughly 400 years ago. Kehily stated that the women could not have been guilty of the specific crimes they were accused of committing.

Historical records indicate that Maidstone was a focal point for witch hunts in England. The town’s town hall contains a reconstructed prison cell from a medieval building where accused witches were held prior to trial. Kehily and her colleagues are using this site to advocate for the royal pardon.

The women targeted in these trials often shared specific demographic traits. Kehily explained that the accused were typically single, widowed, or spinsters. She noted that the lack of a male protector made them easier targets for community accusations.

Samantha Harris, the collections manager at Maidstone Museum, provided context on the types of evidence used against the women. Harris pointed to an official record from a 1652 trial in the town. She explained that natural disasters and animal deaths, such as the loss of pigs and cattle, were frequently blamed on the accused.

Harris described the practice as a form of scapegoating, particularly targeting vulnerable members of society. She noted that being single and independent was viewed as threatening at the time. Harris expressed a personal connection to the cause, stating that her own status as a single woman would have made her a likely target in the 1600s.

While the United States has pardoned the accused witches from the 1690s Salem trials, no convicted witch in the United Kingdom has been officially exonerated. The Maidstone petition aims to change that national record by securing a posthumous pardon for the women hanged in the town.