The Cage St Osyth

31/08/2026

A historic print from 1579 depicting a "witch feeding her familiars with blood".

In the 16th and 17th centuries, life was heavily influenced by deeply ingrained superstitions and fears of the supernatural. This chilling 1579 woodcut offers a glimpse into that period, illustrating beliefs about witches and their 'demonic familiars'—animals thought to be demons who assisted in black magic. Fear of such practices was widespread, with many common folk genuinely believing they were real. It was during these dark times that events like the infamous St Osyth witch trials took place, where accusations based on such fears could lead to serious, life-threatening consequences. It was one of the earliest witch trials that mentioned the use of demonic familiars, with Ursula, herself, accused of having four - 2 cats, a lamb and a toad.

As dark as this all was, it's equally interesting how events from 450+ years ago still influence modern pop culture - think about some of the familiars you see depicted in movies today, though, these days they're more often depicted as friendly companions rather than demonic beings.

24/08/2026

How times have changed...

Right until the mid 20th century, the neighbouring property to us at 14 Colchester Road was a convenience store, selling to***co and other supplies. It has since been turned into a home and subdivided, so it looks nothing like what you see in this picture - The brick building on the right is the building that today is adjoined to The Cage (not pictured). To the left of the shop would have been Hamby's Forge, also not pictured but for which we shared a photo of a few weeks ago.

While we're not specifically interested in the history of this part of the building, trawling through the archives in St Osyth and the Essex Records Office looking through anything relevant to The Cage, you inevitably come across photogtraphs and records relating to sorrounding properties.

Any locals remember this store? It still existed after 1950s, so it's possible some Toosey's today still remember visiting as children...

We'll be sharing these photos and other important records about The Cage and sorrounding properties when we open as a museum later this year. In the meantime, read more about The Cage's history at thecage.co.uk

17/08/2026

These are amazing ❤️

16/08/2026

A newspaper from 1973...

The paper details key landmarks in the village of St Osyth. Our little Cage got a nice feature, which we were pleased to see, including a cool photo of The Cage that we hadn't seen before.

We will have over 20 newspaper articles on display when we open as a museum later this year, some dating back to the early 1800s! Keep up to date by giving us a follow, or joining our mailing list at thecage.co.uk

10/08/2026

As part of our restoration work, we had to replace the lock and bar mechanism on the door of The Cage. When we acquired the property, it was missing (stolen, according to a local we spoke to). We've tried to replicate what the lock and bar mechanism would have looked like based on old photographs - how did we do?

07/08/2026

A photo we discovered in the St Osyth Archives - On the right is the neighbouring building (today 20 Colchester Road), aptly labelled "Hamby's Forge". Our building and the cage are not pictured in this photo, they sit off to the right.

John Hamby is a well documented blacksmith in the town of St Osyth, operating throughout the 19th century. Remnants of the building still exists today, though like The Cage, it has been heavily modified and restored, so it isn't quite the same shape or made of the same materials we see in this photo. Today the home is signed as "Forge Cottage" paying homage to the attached blacksmith shop that would have dated older than the house. Today, the blacksmith shop portion is used as a garage/shed. It was not uncommon for Cages to be located near blacksmiths, as they were often involved in crafting locks and other hardware required in the upkeep.

Photos like these give a glimpse into life in St Osyth in the 19th century. We have a few more to share of sorrounding properties over the next few weeks...

06/08/2026

We recently featured on the Embracing Magick podcast. Steph, Toni and Lizzy were joined by Amy's Crypt to discuss Witchcraft and The Paranormal. Can haunted places hold memory? Watch now:

In this special episode of Embracing Magick, we sit down with Amy f...

01/08/2026

For years, historians wondered who put up the plaque on The Cage and why. Thanks to surveyor notes from 1979 and original 1980s rebuild plans, we finally have the answer.

Decades after The Cage was decommissioned as a lockup, Essex County Council acquired and used it for storage before letting it fall into decay after the 1930s. In 1979 the neighborbouring proptery owner, John Down, complained that The Cage's deterioration was causing damage to his property and offered to purchase the property so it could be developed. There were concerns given the historical significance of the property, but as it was on a conservation area, the council deemed it's preservation would be protected. As a result, John was permitted to buy and rebuild The Cage, integrating it into his home. Conservation restrictions required him to preserve the buildings legacy as the former lockup - specifically he had to rebuild on the exact footprint, using original specifications and materials, and to adorn it with the plaque.

John has sadly passed away in recent times, which is why this information was difficult to track down. We're still chasing some leads and we're getting closer every day! Learn more at thecage.co.uk.

29/07/2026

Ursula's story...

In 1582, fear and hysteria gripped the village of St Osyth during one of England’s most notorious witch trials, spearheaded by local magistrate Brian Darcy. Ursula Kemp, a local healer, was accused of witchcraft by her neighbour, Grace Thurlow. Facing relentless pressure—and after her eight-year-old son was coerced into testifying against her—Ursula confessed and implicated several others. She and Elizabeth Bennet were ultimately hanged in Chelmsford, while others perished in prison waiting for trial.

While no primary sources explicitly confirm where Ursula was initially held, historical context points strongly to The Cage. As the village lockup, it seems the most logical place for holding a suspected criminal. Regardless of Ursula's actual connection with the property, her memory has become deeply intertwined with the building, and her story now lives on vicariously through The Cage. We've made it our mission to ensure her story is accurately told, and her legacy lives on.

Popular culture and local folklore have often mischaracterized Ursula as an "evil witch." In reality, she and the other accused women were innocent victims of their time. To honour their memory, we recently commissioned a painting by www.elkemackus-fineart.com to help exonerate Ursula and serve as a lasting memorial to all those who suffered and died in 1582. We also have a commemorative plaque in the alleyway adjacent The Cage which is freely open to everyone to come and pay their respects.