Chelmsford: Memorial of first witchcraft execution considered

Agnes Waterhouse's trial in 1566 was in front of where Shire Hall now stands in Chelmsford

A permanent memorial to the first woman executed for witchcraft and other victims could be built, a council said.

Agnes Waterhouse from Hatfield Peverel in Essex was hanged in Chelmsford on 29 July 1566.

Between 1570 and 1609, 53 people were executed for witchcraft across Essex.

John Worland, a historian of the Essex witch trials in the 16th and 17th Centuries, said there were people "keen to see this dreadful period of our history remembered".

Mrs Waterhouse was killed two days after being tried in font of where Shire Hall now stands in Tindal Square, Chelmsford, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Mr Worland told a meeting of Chelmsford City Council: "We are not saying that we should beat ourselves up about things that were done by others all that time ago, but it shouldn't be forgotten either."

In 1645, 15 women were tried and executed for the crime of witchcraft in Chelmsford

The historian has already worked with Colchester Borough Council to place a memorial stone in Colchester Castle Park for the more than 200 women and men held in the castle on witchcraft charges.

He said: "Despite Essex having the dubious record of executing more alleged witches than any other county in England, there is no memorial to reflect this.

"When people speak of this time, they tend to talk about the well-known villains and the victims are largely forgotten."

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Deputy leader of the council, Liberal Democrat Marie Goldman, said: "We would be very open to any discussions about what we can do and possibly even enhance the suggestion.

"It is really important to bring it up at this time of year, there is international women's day [8 March] coming up very soon.

"We will definitely take this further."