The Lancashire Witches

Ainsworth's last masterpiece, The Lancashire Witches proved a best-seller in its day and influenced many contemporary authors. The Lancashire Witches begins in the 16th century, in Lancashire, England. When a Cistercian monk, Borlace Alvetham, is falsely accused of witchcraft and condemned to death by his rival, Brother Paslew, he sells his soul to Satan and escapes. Years later, granted the powers of a warlock, he returns in the guise of Nicholas Demdike to witness Paslew's execution for treason. Dying, Paslew curses Demdike's offspring -- who become the titular "Lancashire Witches." The rest of the book set in the 17th century. Mother Demdike, a powerful witch, and her clan face rival witches, raise innocent young Alizon Devi as their own, and try to corrupt Alizon despite her innocent ways. Ultimately, the book becomes a struggle between Heaven and Hell, with Alizon's fate hanging in the balance.

A 19th-century English historian and author, William Harrison Ainsworth studied law and worked in the publishing industry along with journalism and literature. William Harrison Ainsworth wrote more than 39 novels on various topics. William Harrison was educated at Manchester Grammar School. Some of his best and most well-known novels are The Tower of London (1840), Windsor Castle (1843), The Lancashire Witches (1848), and Old St. Paul's (1841). He was a well-trained lawyer, but he was uninterested in the profession, so he gave up and decided to devote himself to the world of writing. Ainsworth's first success as a writer came with his work "Rookwood" in 1834, and he last appeared in the year 1881.