Does literature reveal the truth behind history or does it simply create a more haunting story?

Discover how Elizabeth Gaskell drew on the real Salem Witch Trails of 1692 to write her 1859 novella, Lois the Witch. Then take a look at other witchy tales from the dark side.

Join us for an evening of historical unmasking as we explore the tragic story of Lois Barclay, an English orphan caught in a whirlwind of Puritan fanaticism in colonial Massachusetts.

Author Livi Michael peels back the Gothic layers of tension and dread to discover where historical fact ends and Victorian fiction begins. How is the figure of the witch a symbol of social anxiety, sexual politics and mass hysteria and what is the real truth of the tale?

Perfect for Elizabeth Gaskell fans and anyone fascinated by the enduring horror of the Salem Witch Trials.

‘Absolutely fascinating. She had unearthed so much information previously unknown to me.’ – Previous online attendee.

Part of Short Stories – The Gothic Season