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She believed that Ursula put a curse on her family, which had stricken her with lameness and caused her baby's death.

Grace had some influence with important members of the village since she worked in the home of Magistrate Brian Darcy.

Using that connection, she leveled accusations against Ursula, and according to the historical pamphlet on the trials, on February 19, 1582, Grace went to him and formally accused Ursula Kemp of witchcraft.

Soon after, another villager, Agnes Leatherdale, came forward with more accusations against Ursula.

She claimed Ursula had whispered a spell into her daughter's ear and afterwards the girl became very ill.

And with these accusations and her reputation as a cunning woman, Ursula was arrested and thrown into the village jail that would later be known as The Cage.

Before the cage became infamous for imprisoning witches, it was just the village's lockup for petty offenders.

It was a cramped one-room stone structure, and the only thing in the cold place were sets of iron chains on the wall to detain the criminals.

The space was always in darkness, except for when the jailer would open the heavy iron-locked door and sunlight would pour in.

As harsh as the jail was, the cage took on a darker reputation after Ursula Kemp was held there.

During her confinement, Ursula was questioned by Brian Darcy.

In the official records, there's no written account of any torture inflicted on her, but historians have questioned if that was purposefully omitted.

Based on methods used during other witch hunts, it's not difficult to assume that cruel torment was inflicted on the accused in St.

Osith.

And we'll never know exactly what Ursula endured, but what we do know is that she ultimately confessed to being a witch.

And this was an incredibly serious admission.

At the time, witchcraft was widely feared throughout England.

In 1563, Elizabeth I passed an act against conjurations, enchantments, and witchcraft making.

Witchcraft punishable by death.

In 1579, just three years before the St.