The legend of Old Kattie comes from the Yorkshire village of Ruswarp, near Whitby. She lived there in the 18th Century in a little white cottage at the edge of the settlement. Because of her manner, her reputation for casting spells and her intermittent threats, the people of Ruswarp were frightened of the woman. Not only would they not dare to make eye-contact with her, they would even avoid going near her cottage if they could, choosing instead to take a more round about route.
ANNE PIERSON
Part One
Nowadays, the many visitors to Goathland, in the North York Moors, enjoy the breathtaking scenery, pretty little cottages, the Steam Railway and of course, the connection to the hugely-popular TV series, “Heartbeat”. Yet few would realise that, at one time, this pleasant village was once a hotbed of witchcraft in the county. During the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I and James I, this secluded place housed many families who practiced the dark arts from one generation to the next and people would come from far and wide to benefit from their skills.
Part 2 The very next morning, the Squire instructed his cook to make up some porridge with cinnamon. “I shall take it to my daughter myself”, he told her. The Cook was a little puzzled by this but complied nontheless, remembering that the girl had spent much time lately sulking in her room, due the argument with her father over the Ploughswain. Little did his daughter know that, between the kitchen and the bedroom, her breakfast had been laced with the Amber Liquid.
