128: The Witches of Belvoir
Summary
Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling examine the 1618 witchcraft accusations against the Flowers women, who were blamed for the mysterious deaths of the Earl of Rutland’s sons at Belvoir Castle. The episode details the Manners family’s descent into despair, King James I’s historical obsession with witch hunts, and the social stigma faced by the accused in Botsford. It covers the women’s arrest, the controversial death of Joan Flowers during transport to Lincoln Castle, and the subsequent imprisonment of her daughters, highlighting the era’s brutal treatment of suspected witches.
Topics discussed
Sponsor segment: Tyre guarantee
Introduction to Belvoir Castle and its name
The Manners family and the sick child
Podcast intro and new dog segment
Discussion of previous witchcraft cases
Listener email suggesting the case
Belvoir Castle history and layout
Francis Manners' marriages and family tree
Hiring the Flowers women as staff
Local rumors and suspicion of Joan Flowers
King James I's obsession with witchcraft
Servants' complaint and firing of the Flowers
Sponsor segment: Indeed jobs
Recap of events and King James's influence
Death of Henry Manners and family illness
Failed cures and accusation of witchcraft
Imprisonment and trial by ordeal
Interrogation, torture, and confessions
Guilty verdict and execution
Inheritance dispute and George Villiers theory
Conclusion, listener emails, and outros
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