About Me

Biography

I am a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Exeter and a specialist in medieval and early modern magic. Spanning the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries, I research the role magic and the supernatural has played in the everyday life, culture and politics of past societies.

I am part of the Leverhulme-funded Seven County Witch Hunt Project, investigating the people affected by the 1640s 'Hopkins' witch trials in eastern England. The core aim of this project is to recover the voices which were once deemed unimportant in the witch trials: the accused women and men, their neighbours and accusers. I am particularly interested in the compounding impact of physical spaces / urban geography on marginalised people and groups.

My doctoral research explored the use of ‘service’ magic - practical spells sold by professional magicians - in premodern England. My first monograph, Love Spells and Lost Treasure: Service magic in England from the later Middle Ages to the early modern period, was published by Cambridge University Press in December 2022. I have appeared on BBC Radio and TV discussing my work, and have written for print literature including The Conversation.

Please feel free to get in contact with any questions, suggestions, or ideas for collaborations.