Witchfinder - GCSE History Definition

A Witchfinder was a person, often in the 16th and 17th centuries, who claimed to have the ability to identify people who had secret magical powers that they used to harm others - commonly referred to as witches. Witchfinders searched for witches during a time when paranoia and fear of witchcraft were common, especially in parts of Europe and America. They often used questionable methods to prove someone was a witch, such as looking for "witch marks" on the body or forcing confessions through torture. Famous witchfinders like Matthew Hopkins in England played a role in the witch trials, where many innocent people were accused, tried, tortured and sometimes executed. Anybody who spoke in defence of the person being tried for witchcraft, were often accussed of being witches themselves. Studying witchfinders helps us understand past societies' beliefs and the impact of fear and superstition on justice.