Mist over Pendle

Read this years ago, but gave copy away. I wanted to read again, so had to purchase this copy. A good novel set in Lancashire

Robert Neill has a way of building up the excitement in every chapter, and also conveys the joy and gladness, chill and coldness plus many emotions really well. Anyone living in London or Pendle will appreciate his descriptions, as will those interested in clothing, fashion, religion and family relationships. After a slow start the tale rattles along rapidly and I found it a very thrilling and thought-provoking novel.

This was a well-written tale, I didn't and don't know much about The Pendle Witch Trials of 1612, so I can't vouch for historical accuracy. YouTube's Lady of the Library recently did a video on the Pendle Witches, which led to me falling down a rabbit hole. (Those interested should check out her video and one entitled "The Pendle Witch Child"-that's not a typo-the documentary really is called "The Pendle Witch Child" and it is absolutely worth the watch, it too is available on YouTube) As I said, I can't vouch for the historical accuracy, but I loved the dark and rather Gothic thread that ran throughout this story. Margery was a particular favorite, as far as characters go. I can't help but wonder if the author had something against the Nutter family, in particular, for him to characterize Alice Nutter in such a way. I highly doubt she or any of these women were witches. This is one of the most well-documented trials, which also laid some groundwork for future cases, such as this, wherein the testimony of children was allowed and given significant weight, as was the case in terms of the testimony of Jennet Device, aged 9, of Pendle. Her testimony had influence on our own witch trials here in the states, in Salem many years after Pendle. I rather wish the author had spent more time with Jennet, Alizon, Old Demdike, and even Old Chattox instead of Alice and the Nutter family rather than quite as many fictional characters. That is my only complaint. Highly recommend as it is well worth the read.

As I come from Lancashire, UK, this book is set in the area I came from, events are based on the Witch trials held at the beginning of the 1600s, the names of the main characters are correct. Very enjoyable book

Exodus 22-18: “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” .Mist Over Pendle published in 1951 was Robert Neill’s debut novel. He wrote several novels after that right up to the late 1970’s but non reached the heights of his debut. The success of this book is down, in no small way, to Thomas Potts ‘Wonderful Discoveries of Witches in the Countie of Lancaster’. Pott’s book, published in 1613, is an account of the Lancashire witch trials of 1612. It has been called the "clearest example of an account of a witch trial”.In Mist Over Pendle, Neill uses this account as the basis of his story, embellishing it with a fictional narrative and back story involving Margery Whittaker, who is sent to stay with her cousin Roger Nowell, who is a magistrate of Read in Lancashire. Roger is summoned to Rough Lea, home of the Nutter family, where Harry Milton has died under what is considered mysterious circumstances. Circumstances that the people of Pendle believe involves witchcraft.Mist Over Pendle may be a romance of sorts but it isn’t a fantasy or a horror story. Neill keeps his feet firmly on the ground with his story. There are no boiling cauldrons or witches with black cats on broomsticks flying though the air. He does however acknowledge that witchcraft did exist in 17th century Lancashire in so much as the people practicing it may have thought they had powers. A discovery early in the book of belladonna growing in the area, a noted poison, suggest potions may have been created and used out of malice.England in 1612 was a country of religious unrest, superstition and fear. The gunpowder plot was only 6 years previous. Neill weaves religious intrigue into his story involving, catholics, papists and purists.Robert Neill paints a vivid picture of life in 17th century Lancashire, its fashions, religion, dialogue and folklore, which I loved, being a Lancashire lad myself. I especially liked the brilliant description of Christmas with its mince pies shaped like mangers and filled with spices representing gifts from the east. I also loved the Lord of Misrule on Christmas Eve with his bloated bladder. With the rise of the Puritan party the custom of the Lord of Misrule was outlawed as it was deemed "disruptive". The custom remained banned even after the Restoration and soon became forgotten.’ I think we should bring him back!Having created such an authentic setting it required an equally good story to go with it. I think Robert Neill succeeded in that. It’s a little on the romantic side but not too sugary, and it is a plausible account of events, the fiction fits well with the facts. Using actually place names and real people emphasis this.Apparently Neill told a story of a Lancashire bookseller who would not put Mist over Pendle on display until he had checked all the places and distances in the book for inaccuracies. A good example of the geographical accuracy of his book is the description of Margery’s journey by wagon to Preston, a Journey of three days. It is because of this level of detail together with Neill’s skills as a story teller that I loved this book.

This is my number one book of all time. I have read it at least 20 times over 40 odd years and enjoyed it again and again.

The book is a favourite of mine - beautiful descriptive writing, an engrossing story and likeable characters - a whole world you can lose yourself in. I have reread it regularly since being introduced to it when I was in my teens by my mother, who also loved it as a girl. I particularly love the sense of the brooding Pendle Hill and the landscape enveloped in sweeping autumn rain while Margery sits in the cosy house watching from a window. Being English and currently living in the southern US, which I love, reading and even thinking about this book nevertheless make me nostalgic for the much maligned but to me wonderful, atmospheric and changeable British weather. When I worked at the hospital in Burnley in the 1990s I did a lot of driving around the Pendle area to see the places introduced to me in this book. I also love the descriptions of clothes and Christmas celebrations - really magical and a great way of learning history.My only complaint is about the Kindle edition - long awaited by me and absolutely riddled with errors. Dreadful. Please can you sort this out for a future release and enable correction of this edition through another download? Also, I would be so grateful if some of the other out of print Robert Neill books could be released in Kindle form. I am trying to read a secondhand paperback copy of "Witchfire over Lammas" at present but the print is too small for me to read in poor light. I would love a Kindle edition of this - without errors!

I thought this book was quite good. The historical details are very vivid. It is not so much a book about 'witchcraft' as we normally think of it in pop culture, but rather a rendition of the life and times of Roger Nowell, who led the persecution of the Pendle Witches in 1612. The fictional account is very interesting. Young Margery, a cousin of Roger, is basically turned out by her family for being a bit of a rebel child, and her brothers decide it would be a good idea for her to go live with their older cousin. What follows is the story of how the 'witches' are discovered and persecuted, with Margery and Roger cast in somewhat heroic roles. If you are lookng for 'Charmed' or some kind of YA witch story, this may not be your book. But if you enjoy accurate and detailed historical fiction, this book is great! I liked it and want to read more of Robert Neill.

I bought this book via Amazon.com USA, as a teenage girl I read this book, as I lived at home at the time in Lea Nr Preston which isn't too far from Pendle.I loved stories of whitches and fairy's as a girl so this book was of interest and the book 'The Devil Rides Out', so when my dear friend Jane from Ringgold spoke of it I thought I would buy it for her, the book has arrived on time and in good condition and I'm sure she will love it as much as I did.It is very much a true story and of the it's time, Old England wasn't the wonderful place we would like to think it was, especially for lone women in fact it was very hard and cruel and some what barbarius and if you were of the catholic faith truly dangerous as this book proves.Do read it and if you visit Lancashire UK, visit the county you'll enjoy it and if your into the 'Lord of the Ring's' the Lancashre border with Yorkshire is the background to the shire's of that book!near Stoneyhurst the famous Catholic boarding school for boy's.