Hear the true story of the 17th century Bakewell witches on audio podcast trail around town

Listeners can hear the story while taking a short walk around Bakewell where GPS location will trigger the story chapters automatically.

Accessed via a free app (search ‘geostories’ in App Store or Google Play), the story titled Chronicles of the Bakewell Witches also has a couple of extra twists that will make it a very special experience, as images from the story come to life with Augmented Reality.

The audio drama focuses on the investigation into reports of witchcraft made by a man who had been lodging Bakewell and subsequently accused his landlady and her companion of being witches. A riveting listen, the story features three female characters, including the two accused, whose testimony to the constable reveals how easily witchcraft could be ‘proved’. A tale of betrayal and deception, listeners are pulled into a world where truth cannot be heard and the innocent are often condemned.

The walk begins in the graveyard at All Saints Church, then takes the listener to the area outside the Old House Museum, before going to Bath Gardens in the centre of Bakewell. It finishes at Riverside Gardens near the bridge over the River Wye. Extra chapters, including an epilogue and the background story are also available in the app.

Amanda Pearce, writer and producer, said: “We have created an experience that will give visitors to Bakewell something a little different, with a story based on little known events from the 1600s that must have been quite dramatic for the people of the town at the time, and maybe led to the carving of protective witches marks that can be seen at the Old House Museum to guard against witchcraft and the devil.

“We hope that hearing how we’ve brought the story of the Bakewell witches to life is both entertaining and engaging."

Amanda added: “GeoStories are a new way of experiencing stories, that bring a place to life and create great experiences for visitors. It’s great to produce one for such a lovely place as Bakewell and we hope lots of people enjoy it!”

The story can also be experienced without going to Bakewell, as the app can be downloaded and listened to from anywhere with a WiFi connection.

Anyone interested in finding out more or downloading the app should follow the GeoStories Facebook page or visit the website www.geostories