A WOMAN is crowdfunding to launch a museum to remember the victims of brutal witch hunts which once swept the area.

Amy Terry, 37, who is originally from Yorkshire, moved to Colchester five years ago.

Since moving to the area, Amy has taken a great interest in learning about a long history of magical practice in East Anglia dating back thousands of years.

It is well known that Mistley was home to Matthew Hopkins, the self-proclaimed Witchfinder General.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard:

More than 300 women are believed to have been executed for witchcraft between 1644 and 1646, many at the hands of Hopkins.

He is thought to have lived at what is now the Mistley Thorn, in High Street, and held preliminary examinations of those accused of witchcraft at the former White Hart, in Manningtree.

A less known fact is that Essex was the county which executed the most witches in the UK.

Amy, who is a consultant, specialising in business development in the arts and cultural sector, said

despite this topic being so relevant to the region’s history there is no visitor experience for people wishing to learn more about the subject.

She said “The idea for the museum came from my own experience as someone who moved to the region who was keen to learn more about the area’s history.

“I had seen information and artefacts at other cultural venues that touched on the subject of witchcraft but when I looked for the full story as I was interested to learn more there wasn’t anywhere that told it.

“I couldn’t believe that this museum didn’t already exist.”

Harwich and Manningtree Standard:

Amy added: “When you hear the word ‘witchcraft’ people automatically think of spooky Hollywood characters or scary fairytale villains, but there are a huge amount of everyday practices that have their root in witchcraft and paganism.

“It’s such a misunderstood topic and I think people will be fascinated to learn more about how many beliefs and traditions live on in East Anglia and the impact they’ve had on the region.”

Amy said information about witch hunts can be found in lots of places across the region, but claims most “gloss over the brutality involved”.

Her concerns are that many places solely focus on the role of the Witchfinder General and other men, with the women who were tried, tortured and killed reduced to a number.

“This removes the victims from the narrative and I feel their voices deserve to be heard,” she added.

“My goal is to consolidate these stories in one place and appeal to visitors wanting to learn more about local history, to tell an important and overlooked story of women’s suffering and to highlight the role of contemporary witchcraft in today’s society.”

The crowdfunding page is aiming to raise sufficient funds to create a touring exhibition on the history of witchcraft in East Anglia that will visit sites across the region next year.

Longer term plans for a permanent physical Museum are in motion but dependent on securing further funding.

At present, Amy is not sure which location would be most suitable for a museum.

To find out more visit museumofwitchcraft.co.uk.

Or to donate visit gofundme.com/f/east-anglian-museum-of-witchcraft.