In Shadows of the Hearth, the veil lifts on one of England’s most misunderstood chapters: the era of cunning folk and the witch hunts that threatened to erase them. Far from the demonic caricatures of folklore, these men and women were village healers, midwives, and protectors—pillars of early modern communities who wielded folk magic not for harm, but for hope.
Through rigorous research and a deeply personal lens, this book reclaims the true identity of England’s so-called witches. It explores how folk magic functioned as medicine, spiritual counsel, and conflict resolution in a world plagued by sickness, scarcity, and superstition. It also exposes the political, gendered, and theological fears that turned trusted neighbors into scapegoats.
Blending scholarship, storytelling, and cultural insight, Shadows of the Hearth reveals how the line between sacred and profane, prayer and spell, was never as clear as history wants us to believe.