Heritage Open Days Events Cast a Spell Over Huntingdon

This September, as part of Heritage Open Days, Huntingdon Town Council and The Cromwell Museum have invited residents and visitors to take a closer look at Huntingdon’s past. Through a programme of free talks, tours and heritage events, people have been able to explore some of the town’s most fascinating stories, historic places and notable figures.

The Huntingdonshire Witch Trials Talk, led by Cromwell Museum Curator Stuart Orme, proved incredibly popular, selling out just days after bookings opened. To give more people the chance to attend, the talk was moved from the Court Room to the larger Assembly Room, but even those extra tickets were fully booked within a day.

Over 75 people attended to hear about the history of witch trials in Huntingdonshire, including the infamous Witches of Warboys, the Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins, and Mary Hicks from Huntingdon, who may be the last person executed for Witchcraft in England (if she existed).

The success of the talk formed part of Huntingdon Town Council’s wider participation in Heritage Open Days. Earlier in the week, visitors also attended the Priory Road Cemetery and Chapel Open Day, where they could explore historic burial records, or learn about some of the former members of the Huntingdon Burial board now buried in the cemetery.

The Town Council’s Heritage Open Days programme will conclude with two now fully booked guided tours of Huntingdon Town Hall, offering visitors an opportunity to explore one of the town’s most significant civic buildings and learn more about its place in Huntingdon’s history.   

Stuart Orme, Curator at the Cromwell Museum, said “The Huntingdonshire Witch Trials are one of the most intriguing aspects of our local history, so it has been wonderful to see so many people wanting to learn more about the people and events behind the story. Whilst Heritage Open Days shines a spotlight on our shared heritage, the Cromwell Museum is free to visit throughout the year, and I would encourage anyone with an interest in Huntingdon’s past to come along and discover more of the remarkable stories our town has to tell.”

Whilst Heritage Open Days may only come around once a year, there are plenty of opportunities to discover more about Huntingdon’s history throughout the year. From a visit to the Cromwell Museum to exploring the self-guided heritage trails available from the Discover Huntingdon Visitor Centre in the Commemoration Hall, there is no shortage of stories waiting to be uncovered.

Huntingdon Town Council press release dated 17th September 2026