A suspected witch’s toes and thumbs were tied together and they were submerged in water. In reality, this was sleep deprivation, designed to break suspects into confessing. He had suspect witches watched for days, to see if their animal familiar would come to them. Familiars were thought to be a witch’s companion, half-animal, half-demon. With his assistants, he would search for the 'witch's mark' or 'teat' where familiars were thought to suck blood. Known as the Witchfinder General, Hopkins would ride into villages in East Anglia, often invited by concerned citizens, and listen to their suspicions. In the 1640s, during the chaos of the English Civil War, the witch-hunter Matthew Hopkins appeared on the scene, along with his associate, John Stearne. While burning at the stake was common across Europe, in England, witches were usually hanged. Only 22% of those tried in South East England were executed. Witch trials followed legal process, and acquittal rates were actually relatively high. It was widely believed witches could raise storms, destroy livestock, drive people mad, or even kill them. Everyday misfortunes could be interpreted as either a punishment from God, bad luck, or the act of a witch. There were plague outbreaks, and a “Little Ice Age”, causing harvests to fail. Most people lived in small rural communities, and between 15, the population doubled. People were often hungry, angry, and fearful.

In the 16th and 17th Century, people in Europe were living in what historians call a magical universe a realm where it was implicitly accepted that God and the Devil were real. It led to the deaths of around 100 people, and still has echoes in our lives today. CAPTION: THE SECRET HISTORY OF WITCHES MADE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OPEN UNIVERSITY DR GEMMA ALLEN: Much of what we think we know comes from the 16th and 17th centuries, and especially the work of the witchfinder Matthew Hopkins. But behind this stereotype is a long, dark history of torture and persecution.

Dr Gemma Allen: What do we know about witches? The woman with magical powers and spells, in a pointy hat, with a broomstick and a black cat. Made with the help of Dr Tabitha Stanmore at the University of Bristol.

Academic consultant for The Open University: Dr Gemma Allen, Senior Lecturer in Early Modern History.

A secret history of witches