III. D. YORKSHIRE WITCHES

Across Europe up to half a million people, believed to be witches, were killed, between 1500-1650 with approximately 85% of them being women. Female witches were presented as a challenge to the traditional view of caring, nurturing womanhood by causing harm, often to children. The clear majority of women killed within York for supposed witchcraft were healers, producing home-remedies and poultices for illnesses, as well as assisting women in childbirth. Of all the witch trials in York, Isabella Billington in 1648 was the only state-sanctioned witch burning in Yorkshire. However just outside of York, in Pocklington, Old Wife Green was turned over to a mob and burnt at the stake, rather than being hanged for her crimes of witchcraft, as charged.