The title page of The Wonderful Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Lancaster, published just a few months after the trial of the Pendle witches
Once labelled as wicked evil people, today the story of the Pendle Witches has been ‘glorified’. Ghost hunts and vigils are held on Pendle Hill (there is no evidence that any of them ever set foot on Pendle Hill). Escorted tours take tourists on the Witches’ Trail, through the Trough of Bowland, to Lancaster Castle, where they were held and tried before being hanged on the moors above the town. On Hallowe’en night hundreds of people descend on Pendle dressed as witches. There are hotdog stands, flashing lights and a one-way system is put into place. The Pendle Witches are a big money spinner, bringing tourists to the area all year round.