The Witch of Cromer

By Benjamin Parsons

Besotted Steven is so desperate to make Bridget love him that he decides to try supernatural means to win her heart. But is he ready to face the consequences of dabbling in witchcraft? And dare he try to outwit the famous and fatal Witch of Cromer? Part of the collection The Green Lady and Other Stories.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Benjamin Parsons
• Release date: Dec 2, 2011
• ISBN: 9781466099241

Benjamin Parsons

I am a writer and artist from the Westcountry of England now living in London. I write and illustrate stories about love, hate, ambition, revenge, beauty, and the supernatural.

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The Witch of Cromer

by Benjamin Parsons

Copyright 2023 Benjamin Parsons. First published in 2012.

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If you ever happen to visit Cromer, do make sure to taste the crab— I’m told there’s no better dinner to be had in the north of Norfolk, freshly caught from within sight of the old parish church that perches on the cliff. But while you tuck in to your meal of succulent white meat, spare a thought for the famous witch.

Cromer has few pretentions to fame nowadays. No doubt in its prime it was a widely celebrated resort— as its remnants of splendid architecture imply— but too many years have passed since then, and now the town huddles around the church tower with an air of retired introspection, as though dwelling on yesterday could defy the onslaught of tomorrow. However, not so long ago Cromer found new renown as the home of a witch, whose powers were lauded (in certain circles) up and down the country.

She opened a little shop in one of the narrow cobbled lanes, a mystic boutique selling potions, charms, spells and paranormal paraphernalia of all kinds, to delight the tourists. This was nothing remarkable, until word got about that the lady would perform occult services for a price, and that her sorcery never failed. Reading fortunes, finding lost treasures and contacting the deceased were the mere dregs of her repertoire— she scorned such conjuring, when her skills enabled her to render the barren fruitful and the fruitful barren, hound the guilty to justice and liberate the accused, even raise the dead to life and damn the living to death. All this, and more, at fixed charges plus tax. Her specialism, however, was the magic of desire. She could brew love, sour it, strengthen it, switch it from one object to another, spice it up, shake it to its roots, soothe its sores or sear it into a soul forever— the emotions were her familiars, and she their mistress.

You may well imagine that it didn’t take many reports of success in such a field of endeavour before the witch was accounted an absolute marvel. Her