As it is, the history books will rightfully continue to tell her story throughout that time, but once upon a time also, in or around 1582 also, there was a man, a hardworking man , who is still remembered to this day for being someone he never was! And so it begins;
Ursula lived her life in the small rural village of St Osyth in the county of Essex, with her 8-year-old son Thomas. A healer by some accounts, she was accused of Witchcraft by another villager Grace Thurlow, this stemming from disagreements between the two. Arrested, she was imprisoned in the local lockup, known today as the Cage, along with 13 other women, they were questioned by the local Magistrate Brian D'arcy, a formidable man, with a distaste for 'Witches', and then transferred to Colchester Gaol to await their individual fates.
Ursula eventually found guilty, and hung along with Elizabeth Bennett, in Chelmsford, you would think the story for future historical records, would end there......
Lets fast forward a few hundred years to 1921 and go back to the Village of St Osyth, namely 37 Mill Street and a local resident by the name of Charlie Brooker, made a macabre discovery of a skeleton in his back garden. Buried in a North/South direction, the tale of Ursula Kempe was about to be born again! Local gossip resulted in the claims of the skeleton being that of the infamous St Osyth resident and so many flocked to pay a few pennies, to view her in her pitiful resting place in number 37s' garden! This charade went on for over 10 years, netting Mr Brooker a tidy sum in the process. That was until his home burned down mysteriously and the skeleton was recovered and forgotten. Some say a discarded cigarette left unattended started the fire? , a faulty household appliance? Some deeper thinkers out there would go as far to say it was poetic justice for disturbing the dead in more ways than one!
In 1963, the skeleton was uncovered, yet again, by Mr Brookers son in law, who planned to rebuild at the location. Meanwhile in Boscastle the owner of Boscastle Museum, Mr Cecil Williamson, hearing about the skeleton, expressed a deep interest to buy it and display it at the museum, him too believing that it was indeed Ursula Kempe.
After a lengthy delay, she was eventually transported to Boscastle in Cornwall, where she stayed on display until ill health forced Mr Williamson to 'sell' her on, thus resulting in the famous artist Robert Lenkiewicz purchasing her and transporting her remains to the Plymouth in 1999.
Mr Lenkiewicz died in 2002, and the skeleton story comes alive again! Upon agreement between his estate and Mr John Worland, the remains were transported back to Essex! It was decided that the skeleton should be finally extensively examined and Wessex Osteoarcheologist Jacqueline McKinley was appointed the task. Through her fascinating findings, it was concluded that the skeleton was not that of the famous St Osyth Witch but was, in fact, a man! A man of heavy build, height estimated at 5ft 8in, a hardworking sturdy build of a man, whose age was estimated in the early 20s. During the timeframe of these findings, it was revealed and mentioned in various newspaper reports, that iron spikes found on the bones of the skeleton all those years ago, were deliberately put there AFTER it was unearthed by persons unknown. This, assuming, to enhance the story that it was Ursula Kempe. It was also revealed by the Osteoarcheologist, that staining found on the upper part of the skeleton, indicated that he wore a bronze medallion when he was buried at Mill Street, this vanished after it was unearthed!
Through all the upheaval drama of being branded one of the most famous Witches in Essex, the male skeleton was eventually laid to rest with dignity in a local St Osyth Churchyard, albeit in a North/South direction as he was originally buried. It still amuses me to this day, that despite numerous records to the contrary, people still insist on the skeleton being Ursula Kempe. It brings to mind the saying ... research and research some more because sometimes the truth is hidden away just waiting to be unearthed!
Useful links
http://www.ursulakemp.co.uk/
https://www.spookyisles.com/2017/09/st-oysth-skeleton/#comments ( a condensed article on the story, i wrote for the Spooky Isles Magazine
https://www.wessexarch.co.uk/people/jacqueline-mckinley
