St Sidwell 2026 – ‘Women and Witchcraft in Tudor and Stuart St Sidwells’ talk by Professor Mark Stoyle
Monday 3 August 2026 | 6:15pm-7:30pm | Exeter Cathedral Chapter House
St Sidwell’s is the largest parish in Exeter with a rich and vibrant history. Named after the city’s native saint, Sidwella, the manor of St Sidwell formerly belonged to the Cathedral’s Dean and Chapter and was the scene of many bitter disputes between the cathedral and city authorities during the medieval and early modern periods.
The most populous of all of Exeter’s parishes, St Sidwell’s was burnt to the ground during the Civil War of the 1640s, forcing the inhabitants to seek shelter elsewhere, and it took decades for the destroyed properties to be rebuilt. St Sidwell’s was also a hotbed of witch-belief, and a St Sidwell’s woman is the first person known to have been executed for that alleged crime in the whole of South West England.
In this lively talk, historian Professor Mark Stoyle will provide an overview of St Sidwell’s turbulent past, concentrating on the stories of the local women (and some men) who were accused of witchcraft by their terrified neighbours.
Tickets: £7.50pp
Image: image of St Sidwell in the East window of the Cathedral.