Bewitched by words: Witchy workshops and talks come to The Hold

Why it matters: The sessions offer a creative way to explore a dark chapter in Suffolk's history, the county's 17th-century witch trials, and how their legacy continues to shape perceptions of witchcraft today.

The details: The day runs from 10:00, with the final talk starting at 15:30. The programme includes:

• 10:00 and 12:00 - Andrea Smith will explore how to make spooky sounds for Shakespeare's Macbeth, creating effects from sand, water and celery.
• 10:00 - Lindsey Scott will help aspiring adult writers of children's and young adult fiction to develop powerful characters and story ideas.
• 10:30 - Author Darragh Martin and illustrator James Mayhew will share secrets on how to write and draw witches in a special session for children aged seven to 12.
• 13:30 - Jenny Amos will uncover how hags, witches and sorcerers have been reflected in language over time.
• 15:30 - Doctoral researcher Charlotte Yule will close the day with a talk on spectral, possessed and witchy women from British myths and regional folklore, including a look at the novels of Agatha Christie and Daphne du Maurier.

The big picture: The event is part of a series of workshops and talks the University of Suffolk's English Department is running with Suffolk Archives alongside Witches: Suffolk's Dark Legacy, which opened at The Hold on 16 October and runs until 21 February 2027.

The exhibition tells the story of the Suffolk witch trials between 1645 and 1647, among the most brutal in England, when nearly 200 people were accused of witchcraft.

It features rare loans from national collections, including the British Library, the V&A and Tate, alongside Suffolk's own records.

What they're saying: Cllr June Mummery, Suffolk County Council's cabinet member for coastal affairs, communities and public health, said when the exhibition was announced: "The witch trials are one of the darkest chapters in Suffolk's history, and this exhibition gives people the chance to learn more about the events and people behind them."

What's next: Places can be booked through the Suffolk Archives website, and ticket prices vary.

The bottom line: From Macbeth sound effects to witchy women in the novels of Agatha Christie, the sessions on 14 November at The Hold offer writers, readers and families a creative way into a chapter of Suffolk's history.

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