Lancaster

Lancaster stands on the River Lune, its castle rising above an old crossing on the route through northwestern England. The castle served as a court and prison as well as a fortress, while the town developed as a port and market. Its stone walls preserve the history of royal authority in Lancashire. In August 1612 people accused of witchcraft from the Pendle district were tried at Lancaster Castle. Ten convicted at the summer assizes were executed on the moor above the town. The trials became among the best known of England's witchcraft prosecutions, revealing the fears and conflicts that could bring neighbours before the courts.