Anne Kerke facts for kids

Anne Kerke or Anne Kirk (died 4 December 1599 at Tyburn) was an English woman who was accused of witchcraft and put to death. She lived in London, near Broken Wharf. People had suspected her of being a witch for a long time, and she became known as "The witch of Wapping".

Accusations of Witchcraft

Anne Kerke faced several accusations of using witchcraft. These claims often came after arguments or strange events.

The First Child's Illness

One story says that Anne had an argument with a woman in the street. Soon after, the woman's child became very sick and died. Later, the same woman's second child also got sick after seeing Anne. This child felt better as soon as Anne left.

The Uninvited Guest

People also said Anne had put a spell on a child whose christening she wasn't invited to. The child got better when someone suggested burning a piece of Anne's coat with the child's clothes.

The Innkeeper's Child

Another accusation came from a "cunning man" (someone believed to have special knowledge). He claimed Anne had put a spell on an innkeeper's child, who later died from an illness.

The Nayler Family

Anne Kerke was accused of causing the deaths of George Nayler and his sister Anne Nayler. When their father didn't give her money at the funeral, people claimed she then put a spell on another daughter, Joan Nayler. Joan accused Anne during her strange fits. Because of this, Joan's father told the authorities, Sir Richard Martin, about Anne.

Trial and Execution

Sir Richard Martin, a local official, heard a belief that witches' hair couldn't be burned. So, he had some of Anne's hair cut to try and burn it. People said her hair made the scissors dull, which was seen as a sign that she was guilty.

Anne Kerke was put on trial on 30 November 1599. She was found guilty and given a death sentence. She was executed by hanging on 4 December 1599 at Tyburn, a famous execution site in London.

Historical Context

Some people have claimed that Anne Kerke was the first person executed for witchcraft in the city of London after the Witchcraft Act of 1563 became law. However, this is not true. The first person to be executed for witchcraft in London under that law was actually Margaret Harkett in 1585.