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Witches in History - Podcast Recs

If you prefer your history lessons in podcast form, here’s a list of audio treats about witches, witch trials, and witch panics, from antiquity to the modern day. Check out these shows on your favorite podcast app!

I will update this list as I find new examples. Feel free to add your own!

Witches & Witch Trials in History

The Dark Histories Podcast - Benandanti: Anti-Witches & The Inquisition June 20, 2020 The witch trials throughout medieval Europe have become renowned for their relentless, brutal torture and widespread execution. Whether floated as a form of class warfare, patriarchal dominance, or religious persecution, the stories that remain are pitch black with their depictions of callous violence. Likewise, the legacy of the Medieval Inquisition is too one of severe brutality and overzealous, corrupt authoritarians crushing those with differing beliefs and lifestyles. Despite this, there is one story from history of a group of individuals in Northern Italy that whilst crossing over with both The Inquisition and witch trials, somehow came out the other side with relatively few casualties. So unbelievable were the stories that came from the individuals involved that the Inquisitors themselves wrote many off as simple fantasies in the face of their sincere admissions. Known as the Benandanti, this was a group of people whose story was truly one of the strangest in the myths, legends, and lore of historical witchcraft.

Irish History Podcast - The Kilkenny Witch Trial of 1342, pts 1-3 Dec 20, 2018 - Jan 28, 2019 One of the most famous or perhaps notorious incidents in Kilkenny’s medieval history took place in 1324 when the Bishop of Ossory accused Alice Kyteler, a powerful merchant in the city, of heresy and witchcraft. This sparked a lethal struggle in the town that would end in shocking brutality. The consequences for those caught in the middle would be devastating.

BS-Free Witchcraft - Ep 03: The History of Wicca October 06, 2018 On this episode Trae digs deep into the history of Wicca, and tries to give the most accurate history of the religion as he can. I mean, yeah, we know this is a general Witchcraft podcast, but Wicca is the most widely practiced form of Witchcraft in the US, UK, Canada and Australia… so how it got started is kind of important for the modern Witchcraft movement. And trust me, there aren’t any pulled punches here.

BS-Free Witchcraft - Ep. 28: The Burning Times May 30, 2020 On this installment of the podcast, we tackle probably one of the more controversial topics in the modern witchcraft movement: The Burning Times. What were the actual “Burning Times,” where do we get that phrase from, and what really happened? Also, how has this phrase been used in modern witchcraft? It’s a heavy one, folks.

BS-Free Witchcraft - Ep. 33: The Wheel of the Year March 27, 2021 After two fairly depressing episodes, it’s time to move on to something a little less bleak. This time around we’re talking about the Wheel of the Year! Well, at least the basic idea. Where did it come from, who slapped these eight holidays together, and are they really something every witch needs to give a crap about? (Minor spoiler, the answer to that last question is a firm “no.”)

Toil & Trouble: A Podcast of the Macabre A Tidbit of Trouble, Ep 6 - Grace Sherwood (Dec 11, 2019) In this mini episode, Tori is joined by author Bree NicGarran! Bree tells the tale of Grace Sherwood, a strong independent nonconforming healer who was accused of witchcraft.

A Tidbit of Trouble, Ep 15 - The Samlesbury Witch Trials Hey everyone! Our favorite Witchstorian is back with another tale of witchery! Author and podcaster Bree NicGarran joins Tori for this mini episode about a family feud turned witch trial! Stick around for the end of the episode to hear the trailer for Bree’s new podcast, Hex Positive.

Ridiculous History - Brooms and Witchcraft, Pt. 1 - A Killer in the Rye? Oct. 13, 2020 Most people are familiar with the stereotypical image of a witch: a haggard, often older individual with a peaked hat, black robes, a demonic familiar and, oddly enough, a penchant for cruising around on broomsticks. But where did that last weirdly specific trop of flying on a broomstick actually come from? Join the guys as they explore the bizarre (and racy) theories behind the story in part one of this two-part episode.

Ridiculous History - Brooms and Witchcraft, Pt. 2 - Inquisitions and Iniquity Oct. 15, 2020 Could the stereotype of witches on broomsticks actually be a drug reference? Join Ben, Noel, and Casey as they continue digging through the history and folklore of witchcraft - and how it affected pop culture in the modern day - in the conclusion of this two-part series

Stuff You Missed in History Class - A Brief History of Tarot Cards Oct. 26, 2020 How did a card game gain a reputation for being connected to mysticism? Tarot’s history takes a significant turn in the 18th century, but much of that shift in perception is based on one author’s suppositions and theories. (This show has many episodes on witchcraft and witch trials.)

Historical Blindness - A Rediscovery of Witches, Pt 1 & 2 Oct 13, 2020 & Oct. 27, 2020 A discussion of the early modern witch craze and the myths, misconceptions, and theories about witches spread by academics. Sarah Handley-Cousins of “Dig: A History Podcast” joins the host for both episodes.

Historical Blindness - Hermes Trismegistus, Father of Alchemy January 5, 2021 In this volume of my Encyclopedia Grimoria, I continue to seek the origin of magic in history, having followed the trail in my previous exploration from ancient Persia to ancient Egypt, where I now find the enigmatic figure of Hermes Trismegistus and his Emerald Tablet.

The Poisoner’s Cabinet - Alice Kyteler and the Kilkenny Witch Trials May 21, 2021 Witches and heresy and devils, oh my! We are heading right back into the 1300s to tell the tale of alleged murderer Alice Kyteler who was accused of being a witch - and sparked quite the row across Ireland.

Noble Blood - The Witch-Hunter King March 3, 2020 During a post-wedding detour in Denmark, James VI of Scotland learned of the evils of witches, and he brought his anti-witch fervor with him when he returned to Scotland.

LORE

Ep 12 - Half-Hanged (Aug 10, 2015) The attempted hanging of Mary Webster in Hadley, Massachusetts. The event inspired confusion, fear, and a rather stirring poem.

Ep 28 - Making A Mark (Feb 22, 2016) The witch trial of a woman named Cora and her infant in the town of Frisco on Hatteras Island, OBX NC. Part historical happening, part apocryphal folk tale, but part of the lore all the same.

Ep 41 - Hole in the Wall (Aug 22, 2016) This episode of Lore tackles the subject of witch trials in Scotland, including the Scottish Witch Hunt of 1597 and the Paisley Witch Trials of 1697.

Ep 57 - Quarantine ( April 3, 2017) An exploration of the circumstances surrounding the Loudun trial, in which a priest named Urbain Grandier was tried, convicted, and executed for allegedly making a pact with the Devil in Loudun, France in 1633

Ep 62 - Desperate Measures (June 12, 2017) Explores the circumstances surrounding the murder of pow-wow practitioner Nelson Rehmeyer in Hex Hollow, about 12 miles south of York, Pennsylvania, in 1928. Rehmeyer was killed by John Blymire, John Curry, and Wilbert Hess, because they believed that Rehmeyer had placed a hex on Blymire and Hess.

Ep 70 - Familiar (Oct 2, 2017) Describes the life and career of Matthew Hopkins, the Witchfinder General who practiced mostly around Suffolk, England during the English Civil War. Hopkins was at least partly responsible for the executions of more than 100 people, including the burning of Mary Lakeland in Ipswich in 1645.

Ep 75 - Black and Wild (Dec 11, 2017) Describes the exploits of two men from London, England: John Dee, a self-proclaimed scientist who served under Queen Elizabeth I; and Edward Kelley, a con-artist who claimed to be able to talk to angels, as well as having other prophetic powers.

Ep 94 - Hard Rain (Sept 3, 2018) An exploration of the Lithobolia, an account written by Richard Chamberlayne – the royal secretary of the Colony of New Hampshire – and published in London in 1698. Chamberlayne’s account describes the property dispute between George Walton and Hannah Jones – who Walton accused of witchcraft – on Great Island (modern-day New Castle) in 1682.

Ep 136 - Foresight (March 16, 2020) A continuation of the exploration of witch-trials throughout history, including the execution of Janet Boyman in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1572.

Ep 140 - Potential (April 13, 2020) An exploration of the Triora Witch Trials, which took place in Triora, Italy, in 1587-89.

Ep. 156 - Bottled Up (Oct 26, 2020) A discussion of folk beliefs about witchcraft from Canewdon, Essex, including witch bottles, white mice, and the eternal battle between baneful and beneficial magics.

Ep. 163 - Persistence (Feb 1, 2021) The unfortunate story of Caleb Powell and Elizabeth Morse, together with some account of counter-magic, and the life of celebrated prophetess Moll Pitcher.

The History of Witchcraft Podcast, hosted by Samuel Hume Witches didn’t exist, and yet thousands of people were executed for the crime of witchcraft. Why? The belief in magic and witchcraft has existed in every recorded human culture; this podcast looks at how people explained the inexplicable, turned random acts of nature into conscious acts of mortal or supernatural beings, and how desperate communities took revenge against the suspected perpetrators.

Unobscured, Season One - The Salem Witch Trials Welcome to Salem, Massachusetts. It’s 1692. And all hell is about to break loose.

Unobscured is a deep-dive history podcast from the labs of How Stuff Works, featuring the writing and narrative talents of Aaron Mahnke, horror novelist and the mind behind Lore and Cabinet of Curiosities.

As with his other series, Mahnke approaches the events in Salem armed with a mountain of research. Interviews with prominent historians add depth and documentation to each episode. And it’s not just the trials you’ll learn about; it’s the stories of the people, places, attitudes, and conflicts that led to the deaths of more than twenty innocent people.

Each week, a new aspect of the story is explored, gradually weaving events and personalities together in chronological order to create a perspective of the trials that is both expansive and intimate. From Bridget Bishop to Cotton Mather, from Andover to Salem Town, Mahkne digs deep to uncover the truth behind the most notorious witch trials in American history.

Think you know the story of Salem? Think again.

Modern History - The Satanic Panic

(Please note that any report on the Satanic Panic is likely to include discussion of potentially triggering topics, including but not limited to murder, violence, sexual assault, and abuse of children and animals.)

American Hysteria - Satanic Panic, pt 1 & 2 Dec. 10 2018 - Jan. 07, 2019 This two-part episode covers perhaps the most mystifying moral panic in US history, the 1980s and early 90s ‘Satanic Panic.’ For this episode, Chelsey covers the rise of organized Satanism beginning in the late 60s, as well as the adversarial countercultures of the hippies and the metalheads, and their apparent Satanic crimes that would be hailed as proof of their evil, as well as proof that teens, as well as children, were in serious moral peril. Satan was allegedly hypnotizing the youth with secret messages in backwards rock songs, teaching them occult magic in Saturday morning cartoons, and causing suicides through a popular role-playing games, all while helping religion blur into politics for good.

For part two, Chelsey will cover what came next, a serious investigation into an imagined network of Satanic cults ritually abusing children in daycare centers all over the country. Chelsey will try to understand this shocking decade in history, why it really happened, and the cultural issues it was really about.

BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep 10 - The Satanic Panic April 27, 2019 The Satanic Panic of the 70s, 80s, and 90s shaped the Modern Witchcraft Movement in a lot of unexpected ways. Its effects still ripple through a lot of our sources, so in this installment of the podcast we’re digging into this extremely weird part of American history. It’s a bit of a doozy, after all.

BS-Free Witchcraft - Ep. 32: A New Satanic Panic? February 27, 2021 A couple of years ago, we did an episode on the the history of the Satanic Panic of the latter half of the twentieth century, but recent events have led us to ask - could it be happening again? It’s very possible that we are at the start of a new wave of satanic panic, and QAnon is just the latest symptom of a larger problem.

Occultae Veritatis

Case #014: Satanic Panic of Martensville Jan. 28, 2018 Today the hosts cover one of the various Satanic ritual abuse scandals that happened close to them. Is it full of hot air and false allegations? Yes. Yes it is.

Case #097A & B: Dungeons, Dragons, and the Satanic Panic Dec. 07, 2019 - Dec. 15, 2019 Dungeons & Dragons, introduced in 1974, attracted millions of players, along with accusations by some religious figures that the game fostered demon worship and a belief in witchcraft and magic

Uncover, Season 6 - The Martensville Panic Throughout the 1980s, Satanic cults were widely believed to be preying on children — torturing and terrorizing them as part of dark rituals. Across North America, there were hundreds of false allegations, scores of unjust criminal trials and countless lives torn apart. But never any real proof. By the early 90s, the panic reached the tiny Prairie town of Martensville, Saskatchewan. And nearly 30 years later, the people touched by it all are still picking up the pieces. So what happened? And why do so many still believe to this day?

CULTS - Satanic Panic miniseries, Pt. 1-5 Oct. 05, 2020 - Oct. 27, 2020 In the 1980s, “Satanic Panic” was a mass hysteria that consumed communities and ruined lives - all over things that never even happened. In this new five-part series, we’re examining the origins of the panic, tracing back through the decades to see how the fear of Satan’s influence in society swept across America.

You’re Wrong About… - Michelle Remembers, Pt. 1-5 March 26, 2020 - April 30, 2020 Intrepid hosts S/arah and Mike delve into one of the foundational texts of the Satanic Panic - “Michelle Remembers.” A young woman spends a year undergoing hypnosis therapy, which uncovers repressed memories of shocking and horrifying abuse at the hands of a Satanic cult. The book became a foundational text for both mental health professionals and law enforcement attempting to grapple with an alleged nationwide network of insidiously invisible child-abducting cults. The only problem is…none of what Michelle remembered ever actually happened.

You’re Wrong About…. - The Satan Seller, Pt. 1-5 June 28, 2021 - August 9, 2021 Sarah and Mike return to Camp You’re Wrong About for another Satanic Panic story hour. This time, the summer book club explores Mike Warnke’s 1972 “memoir” about joining a demonic cult, rising through the ranks of Satan’s favorite lackeys, his sudden downfall and redemption, and the California hedonism that made him do it. This is followed by a discussion of the Cornerstone Magazine exposé that brought the facts to light and thoroughly discredited Warnke’s story.

Miscellaneous

The Poisoner’s Cabinet, Ep 14 - Mary Bateman, The Yorkshire Witch May 22, 2020 This week, we delve into the dark, deceptive world of Mary Bateman, a murderer and con artist who came to be known as the Yorkshire Witch. How did this cunning woman become so notorious across Yorkshire, how did she dupe so many innocent people with her witchy ways, and what can we learn from the Prophet Hen of Leeds?

The Poisoner’s Cabinet, Ep. 30 - The Affair of the Poisons September 11, 2020 Multiple poisons and witchcraft abound this week, as we celebrate hitting 30 episodes with the conclusion of Nick’s European poisoning trilogy - the famous Affair of the Poisons. Was the poisoning hysteria in 17th century Paris justified? How much do you know about the different methods of fortune telling? And is using a Black Mass to get a royal shag a bit much?

(Updated 09/10/2021)

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