403. Hangman’s Hill
Old Wooded Graveyard
The highest point of the Old Wooded Graveyard (402), it was upon this hill that the suspected witch, Goody Fowler, was hanged by Arkham citizens in 1704. Legend maintains that spending the night alone on the hill on May Eve or Hallowmas guarantees a visit by Goody’s ghost.
Some folk claim to have attempted the vigil and to have seen nothing. Others swear they have seen Goody’s ghost. A few have even claimed to have talked with her spirit. Some have fled in terror and refused to speak of what happened.
Rumor:
My brother-in-law won’t go back to the Old Wooded Graveyard. Not since he heard strange noises there. He said it was Goody Fowler fixing to hex him.Historical
While the historical record is somewhat fragmentary, what is known is that Goody Fowler settled in Arkham after living in Salem, suggesting she may have attempted to flee prior to or during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692–1693. In Arkham, she took up residence in a cottage situated in the low-lying hills southwest of the settlement. From here, she conducted her business as a “cunning” or “wise” woman, providing remedies to the sick and infirm, as well as tending to farmers’ livestock. Gossip about Fowler and her alleged links to the Salem witches began to spread among the Arkham folk, some of whom muttered that she had the “evil eye” and consorted with the Devil. Farmers grew to blame her for the death of their animals and poor crop yields, while others claimed Fowler had caused the deaths of loved ones with her spells and potions. At first fear, then anger bred within Arkham, resulting in a mob accosting Fowler in 1704 and dragging her to Hangman’s Hill for execution. Rumor has it that Fowler, just before her death, vowed a curse upon the people of Arkham. Over the years, Arkham’s parents have often frightened their children with the menace of Goody Fowler’s ghost, such that she continues to be a source of fear to this day, which may account for the unwillingness of Arkham’s residents to spend any time near Hangman’s Hill.Appearance
Superstition suggests that Fowler’s ghost only appears on May Eve and Hallowmas (All Saints’ Day, November 1), although various tales suggest otherwise. Of all the tales, the one thing in common is where she appears: Hangman’s Hill in the Old Wooded Graveyard.
Type
Barrow / Burial ground
Parent Location
Characters in Location
