Clitheroe is now home to a new Art Instillation. Dandy is a large blackened stainless steel statue of a dog. And he’s no ordinary dog. Created by Dutch-born Lancashire based Sculptor Marian Woulda, Dandy is her representation of a Witches familiar.
The Lancashire town of Clitheroe lies in the shadow of Pendle Hill, from where in 1612 nine of the twelve accused Pendle Witches were walked to Lancaster Castle and put on trial for witchcraft. Of the twelve, one was found innocent, one died in prison , one was hung in York and nine at Gallows Hill.
Many of the alleged Witches admitted under interrogation to having spirit familiars , usually in the form of an animal. Cats, dogs and hares were mentioned, malevolent spirits that demanded punishment towards those who had belittled or refused to buy wares from the accused. In some cases harm did befall the alleged Witches ‘victims’ , illness and death were rife in the seventeenth century.
A large black dog called Dandy was apparently the familiar of young James Device , the grandson of one Elizabeth Southerns, aka Old Demdike. He confessed to putting curses on two people with Dandy’s encouragement. Unfortunately for James, they expired soon after.
So was Dandy a demonic dog? His likeness certainly has a devil may care attitude , I love how fluidly graceful he appears. As if at any moment he could leap off his plinth and bound away up Pendle Hill…..
Find Dandy on Station Road just outside Booths supermarket.
Other Witchy Finds In Clitheroe.
The Pendle Witch Trials of 1612 were unusual in that such a large number of accused witches from the same area, were executed all together. Many of the alleged came from two rival families, that didn’t exactly get on. All but one were poor and all but two were women. The charged were imprisoned in chains and made to take the ardeous 51 mile journey from Barrowford to Lancaster on foot , passing through Clitheroe, the Ribble Valley and the remote Forest Of Bowland.
Clitheroe Castles Norman Keep is an atmospheric place from which to view Pendle Hill. Looking around the grounds , you will notice a few witchy finds including one of ten iron waymarkers situated on The Lancashire Witches Walk. All are engraved with a poem by poet Carol Ann Duffy. Each separate tercet is dedicated to one of the poor souls hung on Gallows Hill. Clitheroe’s features Isobel Robey who was charged with practising witchcraft and sentenced to death.
None of the Pendle Witches came from Clitheroe, though an alleged witch did receive punishment in the town. Margaret Pearson of nearby Padiham found herself rounded up and accused of bewitching a horse during the same time period. She was sentenced to standing in the pillory at Clitheroe, Padiham, Whalley and Sabden on four consecutive market days.
There are a few shops in Clitheroe that sell information about the Pendle Witches and/or other Witchy souvenirs.
The Cackling Witch on Castle Gate.
North West Crystals UK on Castle Gate.
Platform Gallery & Visitor Centre on Station Road.
Thanks for dropping by. Let me know what you think of Dandy……
sunshine and celandines 