Pendle Witches Tour – Samlesbury Hall Samlesbury Hall has a significant connection to the Lancashire Witch Trials of 1612, which also involved the more famous Pendle Witches. While not directly part of the "Pendle Witches" group, three women from Samlesbury – Jane Southworth, Jennet Bierley, and Ellen Bierley – were accused of witchcraft and tried at the same assizes in Lancaster. Here's the key connection: The Samlesbury Witches Trial Jane Southworth, Jennet Bierley, and Ellen Bierley, known as the "Samlesbury Witches," were tried alongside the Pendle Witches. Samlesbury Hall and the Southworth Family Jane Southworth, one of the accused, lived in Samlesbury Lower Hall. More significantly, it was revealed during the trial that Grace Sowerbutts had been coached in her testimony by Christopher Southworth (also known as Thompson), a Jesuit priest who was in hiding in the Samlesbury area and was the chaplain at Samlesbury Hall. He was also Jane Southworth's uncle by marriage. Political Motivation The Samlesbury Witch trial is often seen as distinct from the Pendle Witch trials in its underlying motivation. The chief witness against them was a 14 year old girl named Grace Sowerbutts, who accused them of horrific acts, including child murder and cannibalism.
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