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Ossith's sordid past.

The most infamous historical event in the village occurred in 1582 when St.

Ossith became the center of a deadly witch hunt.

The story of St.

Ossith witch trial centers on one woman, Ursula Kemp.

Ursula, also known as Ursli, was well respected in the village as a healer using holistic and spiritual practices to treat the sick.

However, historians have noted she was also a poor single mother who earned some money as a nursemaid and midwife.

Ursula was also considered to be a quote-unquote cunning woman.

During the Middle Ages in the United Kingdom, cunning folk were considered practitioners of good magic by using charms, spells, herbs, or grimoires.

People would turn to the cunning folk to cure ailments, bring fortunes, or even lift witch curses.

Even though witchcraft was deeply feared in the late 1500s, people in the village saw Ursula as someone who used her abilities to help others.

But that reputation would shift when Ursula's neighbor, Grace Thurlow, came to her seeking help.

You see, Grace had a young son, Davy, who became dangerously sick.

But once Ursula used her abilities to treat Davy, he recovered fully.

During the entire ordeal, Ursula and Grace formed a friendship.

However, their relationship unraveled in late 1581 when Grace was preparing to give birth to her second child.

Ursula wanted to work as her nursemaid during the delivery, but Grace never asked her for help, and Ursula felt slighted by that.

After the birth, she confronted Grace about it and their friendship completely fell apart.

And shortly after this, Grace was stricken with a bout of lameness.

According to the Society for the Study of Disability in the Middle Ages, lame was used as an adjective similar to impaired or weak and often referred to an issue with limbs.