What is a witch? Who is a witch? Why are we fascinated by magic and witches?  How can we use social history collections to tell genuine stories of female empowerment and emancipation without getting lost in the myths, stereotyping or sensationalism? During the day, we will address the role of museums and heritage organisations in offering a historically-valid perspective on the topic.

This event shares the findings from research conducted by staff at the Ryedale Folk Museum, facilitated by a recent GEMYH Reach Out bursary.  We will use collections, and collection stories, as a starting point for practically  investigating the role of women over the centuries, focusing on ways to share heritage with sensitivity and historical accuracy, taking into account the marketing implications.  We will take  inspiration from stories of witches in Ryedale (North Yorkshire), three rare ‘witch posts’ within the Museum collection, and the recently-classified witch marks adorning caves at Creswell Crags (Derbyshire) and open these out into wider discussions around gender and class politics, and alternatives narratives of women.

GEM member: £5; non-members: £20.