victims of the "Essex Witch Hunts" slate plaque

This slate commemorative plaque records: In memory of the victims of the "Essex Witch Hunts" who were imprisoned in Colchester Castle. In the 16th and 17th centuries, over 200 women and men were held in the cells of Colchester Castle on charges of witchcraft. Many died while awaiting their trial. Much of the evidence was based on superstition, ignorance and hysteria. This plaque is placed as a memorial to them all and in the hope of an end to persecution and intolerance.

The victims of the "Essex Witch Hunts" were individuals accused of practicing witchcraft during the 16th and 17th centuries; their trials and imprisonment, often based on superstition and hysteria, highlight a dark period of legal and social injustice in English history.