JK Rowling attended the University of Exeter in the 1980s to study languages. Perhaps the Devon Witches were partly responsible for inspiring the magical world to which Harry Potter belonged. If you pass by the ruined gatehouse of Rougemont Castle, be sure not to miss the plaque commemorating the last witchcraft trial in England. In 1682, three women from Bideford were brought to this spot, tried for sorcery and later hanged – all on the evidence of little more than malicious gossip. Around the corner on Musgrave Row is a recent mural of the women, depicted as rather silly caricatures: three hags wearing pointy black hats and surrounding a boiling cauldron.
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