Pendle Hill

18 miles away from Skipton, in Lancashire.

Only a short distance away, and famous for the Pendle witch trials of the 17th century, when 19 local women were hung for, well, being witches. Moody landscape. Good walking country, even if it is in Lancashire...

This majestic, but brooding hill lies east of Clitheroe, set amongst a number of villages. It is a very romantic hill, spiritually associated with George Fox's vision in 1652, the 17th century Lancashire Witches, and the location both for the book "Mist over Pendle" and the film "Whistle Down the Wind".

The hill stands at 1827 ft and varies in width from one to three miles. The top offers breathtaking views across the Forest of Bowland, the Yorkshire Dales and on clear days, the Lake District.

The historical relevance of Pendle Hill gives it a bleak and eerie quality. It was used as a burial ground in the Bronze age and a 7,000 year old burial mound can be found on the top. More recently in the 17th century the events which led to the hanging of the Pendle Witches took place. The evidence against them was hardly conclusive, but nonetheless a considerable mythology has grown up around the witches, whose memory is perpetuated by a hilltop gathering each Halloween.

Forty years after these events, George Fox claimed to have seen a vision of God on the summit, which led him to form the Quaker Movement. People still follow his route today in remembrance of the 1652 assent. ("As we traveled, we came near a very great hill, called Pendle Hill, and I was moved of the Lord to go up to the top of it; which I did with difficulty, it was so very steep and high. When I was come to the top, I saw the sea bordering upon Lancashire. From the top of this hill the Lord let me see in what places he had a great people to be gathered." from : - Journal of George Fox, Chapter VI, A New Era Begins, 1652)

Free burning at the stake...bring your own cackles, curses, and paraffin.

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