Born: 1400 (circa), United Kingdom (assumed)
Died: 27 October 1441
Country most active: United Kingdom
Also known as: Unknown
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
In 1441, Margery Jourdemayne, also known as “the Witch of Eye Next Westminster,” was burned at the stake. Her execution resulted from a well-documented case dating back to the fifteenth century. Eleanor Cobham, the Duchess of Gloucester and wife of Humphrey of Lancaster, the 1st Duke of Gloucester, faced charges of heretical witchcraft, along with four others. Among these co-accused were three scholars and clerics from the Duke’s court. The fourth individual was Margery Jourdemayne, a woman of humble birth known for her reputation as a witch.
Humphrey, being the uncle of the young Henry VI of England and a potential successor to the throne, added complexity to the case. In the period between July and September 1441, Margery was apprehended by the king’s authorities and imprisoned in the Tower of London. Throughout many years, she had been recognized for her ability to provide spells and potions that were believed to influence matters of love, fertility, and pregnancy.
Margery Jourdemayne was ultimately convicted of heresy and witchcraft, and her sentence was death by burning at Smithfield.