| Where | Great Broughton Village Hall | Type of Event | Illustrated Talk |
| When | Monday 15th November | Tutor | Janice Ronsano |
Another talk from one of our members who is also the current Chairperson of the Group. Janice gave an entertaining and informative talk on the story of witchcraft with particular reference to our area and illustrated with images from old woodblocks and other early sources.
Janice talked about witchcraft’s origins from its pagan beginnings, through the publication of the Malleus Maleficarum in 1486 leading to its peak in the late 16th and 17th centuries. James 1st was nearly shipwrecked in 1589 and thought it was due to witchcraft so he changed the law in 1603 to make it punishable by death.
Malleus Maleficarum 
Publication by James 1 law on witchcraft 
The frontispiece of the manuscript by Matthew Hopkins
During the early 17th century, Matthew Hopkins, the self-styled Witch Finder General, published a manuscript on the subject of witchcraft and was responsible for the deaths of many witches who he brought to trial.
Janice then went on to talk about the evidence of presumed witchcraft nearer home in Yorkshire. This included the presence of Witches’ Marks or protection symbols found on buildings.
A Witch Post was believed to protect the family seated round the fire. This one in Ryedale Folk Museum 
Daisy Wheel marks were common 
Another Witches’ Mark
Janice concluded an entertaining evening with some humorous cartoons and a wave of her broomstick.