In 1564, the son of a wealthy family near Chippenham, Wiltshire, died.

This was not unusual; Infant mortality rates were very high.

What was unusual was the witchcraft execution and the legal battle that followed; historian Dr Louise Ryland-Epton would publish research revealing England’s first recorded execution of witches.

It all started when a woman named Agnes Mylles was accused of causing the death of a baby by practicing witchcraft.

The historian came across the incident while working for Victoria County History, which included information about the Bayntuns, a “very wealthy, very well-connected family.”

Life as a member of the Bayntun family was stressful due to problems with money, property and wills.

However, tensions increased with the death of young William Bayntun, son of Edward and Agnes Bayntun.

They needed a son to stop the fortune from passing to Edward’s nephews.

Not only was Edward from a wealthy family and his wife was related to the Queen, but he was also an MP.

“Absolutely poisonous. A Witchcraft Act is passed in the House of Commons at the first session of Parliament (1563).

“The timing is terrible. He’s under a lot of pressure,” Dr Ryland-Epton said.

This feeling was also present at the time when Agnes Mylles was accused.

“This seems obvious to them,” added the historian; He has no doubt that everyone involved believes in witchcraft.

Agnes was a widow from the village of Stanley, where the Bayntuns owned the land of Stanley Abbey, which they then turned into a “palace”.

Her husband had died around 1556 as the Bayntuns’ tenant, and she had formal responsibility for the property; this meant that they probably knew Miss Mylles, who remained in the area out of good faith.

“The nuances of relationship are difficult,” Dr Ryland-Epton explained.

However, as a Bayntun tenant, the family had known him for many years.

Dr Ryland-Epton also thinks she may have been a “cunning lady” who the locals went to and knew the remedies. Many were placed under suspicion.

Still, it was not uncommon for her to be the target of accusations of witchcraft; women, widows, elderly and Dr. “Marginal,” as Ryland-Epton describes it.

There aren’t many details about what exactly Agnes Mylles intended to create; Not all records regarding the region have survived.

But Dr Ryland-Epton said: “She certainly had access to the baby as the charges implied that she used both witchcraft and magic, which implied that she used magic or cast a material spell on the child.”

There isn’t much we would traditionally associate with witchcraft; He explains that this came a little later.

“There is no mention of a deal with the devil, a familiar (such as an animal associated with a witch, a black cat) or flying on a broomstick. All these elements are introduced later,” Dr Ryland-Epton said.

The historian explained that well-known cases were those about which a pamphlet was prepared; The execution of Agnes Mylles was before they were disbanded.

Deposition in one case said Ms. Mylles was “seduced with demonic motive by the use of witchcraft spells and witchcraft… (Agnes Mylles) criminally murdered and murdered William Bayntun by means of witchcraft.”

Agnes was taken to the county jail in Salisbury, where she confessed.

Technically torture was not allowed, but Dr. Ryland-Epton said it’s still possible.

“She would have been absolutely horrified. So, whether she was under some kind of duress or believed she was a witch, she confessed to it; that’s also a possibility,” he said.

He confessed to Bishop Jewel, who strongly believed in the existence of witchcraft.

However, the baby’s aunt, Dorothy Bayntun, also came under suspicion.

Dorothy was married to Edward’s brother Henry and they had sons. If Edward and his wife had no sons, the inheritance would have gone to their nephews.

William was born in the 10th year of his marriage.

According to reports, Dorothy convinced Agnes to harm William.

A witch finder was called in because the bishop wanted more evidence.

Unusually this was a woman called Jane Marshe from Somerset.

Jane revealed that Agnes had murdered baby William by the “supply and seduction” of Dorothy Bayntun.

Agnes was hanged; The first person recorded to have been executed for witchcraft in England.

Dr Ryland-Epton checked the dates; His execution preceded two cases generally said to be the first.

It seems like that should be the end of the story, except that the Bayntuns’ time in court is not yet over.

“This is essentially a family at war,” Dr Ryland-Epton said.

The witchfinder was put in the bishop’s prison for six months and Dorothy took legal action after being linked to alleged witchcraft.

He could exonerate himself by showing that Agnes Mylles had been wrongly accused.

The witch finder suddenly changed his story when he was visited by Dorothy’s friends while in prison.

Edward and his wife took legal action against Dorothy, Henry Bayntun, and the witchfinder to the Court of Chancery in London.

Jane changed her story again, saying she was afraid of Dorothy.

Although there is no evidence that Dorothy receives any punishment for allegedly asking a witch to kill a baby, she and her husband begin to disappear from the records, especially the family’s records.

Stanley Abbey also subsequently deteriorated, renovations were abandoned and the plans were never completed.

Speaking about the case, the historian added, “The house is slowly falling into ruin, first turning into a farm, then disappearing. Everything is very mysterious.”

However, Edward and Agnes Bayntun had another surviving son a few years later.