Bodmin Jail & Salem Witch Museum: Malleus Maleficarum

At Bodmin Jail, we are always looking for ways to connect our visitors with the fascinating, and often chilling, realities of history. Our latest collaboration takes us across the Atlantic to the world-renowned Salem Witch Museum in Massachusetts; home to the stories of the infamous 1692 Salem Witch Trials.

As part of this partnership, the Salem Witch Museum has generously shared images from their rare copy of the Malleus Maleficarum - or The Hammer of Witches - a book that played a major role in the persecution of alleged witches during the 15th–17th centuries.

What is the Malleus Maleficarum?

First published in 1487, the Malleus Maleficarum became one of the most notorious manuals in European history. Written by Heinrich Kramer, it was used to justify witch hunts, trials, and executions, spreading fear and superstition across Europe and later influencing cases in colonial America. Its pages contained disturbing justifications for torture and persecution, alongside vivid illustrations portraying witchcraft, demons, and the supernatural. The book’s influence reached far beyond its origins, and its legacy can still be felt today in the way societies remember and confront hysteria, fear, and injustice.

From Salem to Bodmin: A Transatlantic Story

While Salem is known worldwide for its infamous witch trials, Cornwall has its own history of witchcraft accusations. In fact, women such as Ann Jefferies were accused of witchcraft and imprisoned at Bodmin Jail, making this collaboration between our sites a truly meaningful link between British and American history.

Thanks to this partnership, our design team at Bodmin Jail has been replicating the original illustrations from the Malleus Maleficarum, so visitors can see these rare images up close. It’s an extraordinary opportunity to witness the same imagery that once fuelled witch hunts and mass hysteria across continents.

Warrant for the Execution of Sarah Good, Rebecca Nurse, Susannah Martin, Elizabeth How, and Sarah Wilds

Our graphic designer has also recreated the chilling “Warrant for the Execution of Sarah Good, Rebecca Nurse, Susannah Martin, Elizabeth How, and Sarah Wilds”; five women condemned during the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. This powerful document, preserved in the Boston Public Library’s Rare Books & Manuscripts Collection (MS Am 48), represents the devastating consequences of fear and suspicion during that period.

Why This Matters

By bringing both the Malleus Maleficarum illustrations and the Salem execution warrant to life here in Cornwall, we are not only educating visitors about the history of witch trials but also highlighting the connections between Bodmin Jail and the wider story of persecution, fear, and power throughout history.

This partnership with the Salem Witch Museum and resources from the Boston Public Library offers our guests a rare glimpse into two of the darkest chapters in human history, while standing inside one of the most atmospheric heritage attractions in the UK.

Visit Bodmin Jail

Season of the Witch

From 1st September, visitors can explore our Season of the Witch exhibition, where history, myth, and the paranormal collide. From tales of Cornwall’s witch trials to our immersive look at crime and punishment, Bodmin Jail is a must-visit for anyone interested in dark tourism, historical attractions, or paranormal history.

Discover the chilling legacy of the Malleus Maleficarum, and the haunting story of Salem’s execution warrants, for yourself, only at Bodmin Jail.