Joan Peterson ( at

Tyburn Tyburn was a Manorialism, manor (estate) in London, Middlesex, England, one of two which were served by the parish of Marylebone. Tyburn took its name from the Tyburn Brook, a tributary of the River Westbourne. The name Tyburn, from Teo Bourne ...

) also known as The Witch of Wapping, was an English woman executed for

witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...

. She worked as a

herbalist Herbal medicine (also called herbalism, phytomedicine or phytotherapy) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. Scientific evidence for the effectiveness of many herbal treatments ...

and

cunning woman Cunning folk, also known as folk healers or wise folk, were practitioners of folk medicine, helpful folk magic and divination in Europe from the Middle Ages until the 20th century. Their practices were known as the cunning craft. Their services ...

Wapping Wapping () is an area in the borough of Tower Hamlets in London, England. It is in East London and part of the East End. Wapping is on the north bank of the River Thames between Tower Bridge to the west, and Shadwell to the east. This posit ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. She was a successful herbalist, and enjoyed popularity in her business. She was implicated in the ongoing case in the death of Lady Mary Powell, who had died under suspicious circumstances, leaving her estate to Anne Levingston. Joan Peterson was accused of having bewitched the 80-year-old Powell to death. She was also accused of having caused a serious of fits to the baker Christopher Wilson, who owed her money. She was offered a

pardon A pardon is a government decision to allow a person to be relieved of some or all of the legal consequences resulting from a criminal conviction. A pardon may be granted before or after conviction for the crime, depending on the laws of the j ...

if she agreed to testify against Anne Levingston and Levingston's so-called ‘witchcraft’ activities. She refused to testify against Levingston however. She was sentenced to death as guilty of witchcraft and executed by hanging at

on 12 April 1652. She belonged to the last executed for witchcraft in the city of London. She was however not the last person to be put on trial for witchcraft in London, were Jane Kent in 1682 and Jane Dodson in 1683 appears to have been the last, though they were both acquitted for the crime.Gregory J Durston,
Crimen Exceptum: The English Witch Prosecution in Context
' Her case was publicized in the

pamphlet A pamphlet is an unbound book (that is, without a Hardcover, hard cover or Bookbinding, binding). Pamphlets may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths, called a ''leaflet'' ...

''The Witch of Wapping: the life and devilish practices of Joan Peterson'', 1652.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Peterson 1652 deaths 17th-century English women Executed English women English people executed for witchcraft People executed by Stuart England People executed by England by hanging Cunning folk People executed at Tyburn