Oct 3rd David Hinchcliffe
The Denby witchcraft case of 1674 has interesting Wakefield connections and I stumbled across it because the accused were Hinchliffes and my line were living in nearby Cumberworth not long afterwards. His book A Most Gross and Groundless Prosecution was published to tie in with the 350th anniversary of the case.
Happening not long after the restoration of the monarchy, the case bitterly divided the local community, with a petition in support of the accused gaining signatures mainly from those who had supported Parliament in the civil wars and were religious dissenters.
