SHARING SALEM’S SHAME: EXETER UK HAD ITS OWN ‘WITCH’ TRIALS (SUMMER 2026)

 



Exeter UK’s so-called ‘Witches Mural’, on public display from 2008 until 2023 

For those unfamiliar with Devon, the county city of Exeter, with a population of over 130,000 and 30 minutes by road from East Budleigh is well worth a visit. While Salem is famous as ‘The Witch City’, not too many Devonians know the story of the three so-called witches who were executed in Exeter after their trials at the city’s Rougemont Castle in the Northernhay district.  


There you can read this inscription on a rather weathered plaque — complete with graffiti of course. ‘THE DEVON WITCHES In memory of Temperance Lloyd, Susannah Edwards, Mary Trembles of Bideford Died 1682 Alice Molland Died 1685 The last people in England to be executed for witchcraft tried here & hanged at Heavitree In the hope of an end to persecution & intolerance.’   


In 2023 it was decided to commission new artwork to replace the ‘sadly fading’ mural. Stuart Crewes, Creative Director of Art Work Exeter, explained: ‘History is an ever-changing thing, as more stories are shared and different per spectives are revealed. While the witches mural was a great celebration of certain aspects of Exeter’s past, it has itself now become part of our histories and stories of this place.’  


A total of 28 submissions was shortlisted to four artists. Over 1,500 members of the public voted to decide on the winning entry. A replacement, described as the ’Green Futures Mural’ and ‘a stunning new piece of climate inspired street art’ was completed in September 2024.  


Above is a photo of the Witchcraft Victims' Memorial in Danvers MA, close to the city of Salem. It’s an important place for reflection and commemoration for those wishing to honor the innocent victims of the Salem witch hunt. The inscription — ‘In memory of those innocents who died during the Salem Village witchcraft hysteria of 1692’ — emphasises the injustice of the affair. The first accusations and early examinations took place in this area, known as Salem Village in 1692. Many of the most active participants in the witch hunt lived in the Village, traveling to Salem Town (the modern city of Salem) to give testimony when the trials began in June. 












  

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