History of The Cage

If you walk down Colchester Road through the town of St Osyth, you'll find a cute two-storey cottage that stands out more than the others - not just for it's bright yellow color, but for it's forboding dugeon-like door. You wouldn't be wrong for thinking there was something special about this house. This is the site of the former town lockup, otherwise referred to as The Cage, used for housing drunks, petty criminals or those awaiting trial or transfer to Colchester Castle. Today, The Cage sits refurbished after being adjoined to the neighbouring property and being repurposed into a home in the early 1980s. But it's history goes back much further, where some historians argue it may have served as the initial holding cell of the women accused of witchcraft during the 1582 Witch Trials of St Osyth. Its dark past have made it a place of historical and cultural significance in the town, entrenched in local folklore and legend, and even dubbed as one of the UK’s most haunted houses.

 

The Cage of St Osyth located at 14 Colchester Road is the former town lockup.

 

Cages and Lockups

Cages began as a functional necessity in small villages, operating as a lockup for minor offenders, vagrants, or those awaiting transport to larger courts for trial. It was a means of ensuring order within the community, a visible deterrent, and a temporary holding space for those who disrupted the peace or broke the law. Often called "blind houses" due to them often having no windows, these structures were used by unpaid elected volunteers known as parish constables who were responsible for keeping the peace before the introduction of modern police forces^[1]. 

 

Cages of Great Bardfield, Braintree, Eaton-Socon, Bradwell and Great Dunmow show striking similarities to The Cage of St Osyth.

 

Unlike modern prisons today, records were rarely kept about those who were kept there or why. However, the 1841 census records for St Osyth does list multiple individuals imprisoned on the night of 6th June 1841^[2], offering unique insights into The Cage of St Osyth and its former use as a lock-up. Specifically, it tells us the Cage was being used well into the 19th century, that it could hold multiple people at a time, and that juvenials as young as 15 could be detained there. We can also pinpoint the location of The Cage to it's place on Colchester Road thanks to the relatively sequential nature of the census data and the names in proximity that we can cross reference to land ownership records for surrounding properties.

 

1841 census record for St Osyth listing multiple individuals confined to The Cage on the evening of 6 June 1841.

 

In 1856 legislation was introduced placing pressure on local councils to establish more orderly police forces over time^[3]. This lead to many Cages across England becoming disused or repurposed throughout the 19th century, though it took decades for this to be implemented leading to many cages being used til much later, particularly in remote towns like St Osyth^[4]. Newspapers from the early 1900s still reference The Cage on Colchester Road in St Osyth.

 

“I would always remember Dad and Grandad saying that years ago they used to put the drunks in there back in the early 1900s." - Aileen Chapman, St Osyth Resident (2025)

 

Architecture of The Cage

By the 20th century, The Cage was barely standing. Photographs from around 1970 show extensive structural damage in its brickwork and suggest it was too far deteriorated to be saved^[6], leading it to being completely reconstructed in 1981^[7]. During this time, it was repurposed into a home, having an upper floor added and being adjoined to the neighbouring property at 14 Colchester Road (which today is collectively referred to as "The Cage"). Due to it being reconstructed, it is incredibly difficult to provide an accurate date for The Cage's original construction.

 

Photo of The Cage prior to its reconstruction in the 1970s (c. 1970) showing extensive damage and ageing.

 

However, recently discovered early 20th-century photographs give us some clues - For example, they tell us that before it was covered in render, the neighboring property featured a uniform "Flemish Bond" brick pattern that allow us to date it to the mid 19th century^[9]. In stark contrast, The Cage showed no consistent pattern, but rather a patchwork of different brick sizes, styles, colors and materials, typical of a much older building that has been maintained and rebuilt multiple times over centuries^[8]. Although The Cage's original bricks are nolonger there, you can still see original bricks from this period used in other areas of St Osyth, namely parts of the Church and also the St Osyth Priory Wall. Dated back to the 16th century also, this wall still exists today and sits just opposite The Cage^[10].

 

The oldest known close-up photo of The Cage (early 20th century) showing the difference in brickwork between The Cage and its neighbour. 

 

The St Osyth Witch Trials

Most famously, in the 16th century, hysteria and fear swept over St Osyth and other nearby towns leading to one of the most notorious witch trials in English history - the St Osyth Witch Trials of 1582. One of the most notable executions was that of Ursula Kemp - a local woman known for her healing skills. Despite being seen as a healer, she was later accused of witchcraft by her neighbor, Grace Thurlow, over the death of her infant daughter^[11].

 

An artistic impression of Ursula Kemp, commissioned by the new owners of The Cage of St Osyth to reclaim the narrative of those accused of witchcraft. Painted by Elke Mackus.

 

Even while imprisoned for her alleged crimes, members of the community continued to seek advice form Ursula. During the subsequent witch trials, Ursula, possibly under duress or misled by promises of leniency, implicated numerous other women. This confession fueled a severe outbreak of hysteria that spread to nearby areas, including Little Oakley, The Sokens, and Little Clacton, leading to the accusation of many others inlcuding Ales Newman, Elizabeth Bennet, Ales Hunt (Barnes), Margerie Sammon (Barnes), Annis Glascock, Joan Pechey, Cisley Selles, Henry Selles, Ales Manfield, Margaret Grevell, Elizabeth Ewstace, Margaret Ewstace, Joan Robinson, Annis Herd (Heard) and Anne Swallowe (Eswell). Out of all those accused, Ursula Kemp and Elizabeth Bennet were ultimately executed, and several other individuals sadly perished while incarcerated.

 

An AI generated artistic impression of the St Osyth Witch Trials.

 

The witch hunt and initial interrogations were supervised by Brian Darcy - these were conducted at his primary home, St Clare's Hall located less than a mile from The Cage^[12]. Unfortunately, Ursula’s seven-year-old son was pressured into testifying against his mother. He declared that she practiced witchcraft and maintained four familiars: Jacke (a black male cat), Tyffin (a grey female cat), Pygine (a black female toad), and Tyttey (a white male lamb), the latter of which was specifically blamed for the death of a child. Although Ursula confessed hoping to receive mercy, she and Elizabeth Bennet were convicted of witchcraft and hanged in Chelmsford^[11]. The suffering caused by the trials was widespread; Ursula’s young son, approximately seven years old at the time, was abandoned, and his subsequent fate remains unknown.

 

A plaque added to The Cage during its reconstruction in the 1970s commemorates The Cage's role as the former town lockup.

 

While no primary source explicitly names Ursula’s initial holding place, historical context points to The Cage - town lockups were the only purpose-built, secure facilities to hold suspected criminals in small towns like St Osyth. In addition, there are detailed accounts of other witch finders of the time suffering "ill fate" from interrogating suspected witches^[12], further fuelling the hysteria that would have likely compelled Darcy to keep Ursula isolated in the safety of the town lock-up. Irrespective of the extent of Ursula's actual connection with The Cage, the story has become engrained in local folklore and an integral part of the town's cultural identity - a place many come to reflect on the dark history of the town and pay respect to the victims.

 

Paranormal History

After being decommissioned as the town lockup, The Cage sat largely derelict for most of the 20th century, becoming a breeding ground for local superstition and haunting tales. Locals who grew up in the town have shared feelings of fear they recall when walking past the building as children. Others have shared stories passed down from parents, some recounting shadow figures emerging from the heavy prison door, while others have claimed to see figures in the windows when passing by even when the building was known to be unoccupied. 

 

"I seem to remember there was always an air of mystery about it [The Cage] when I was a child and I was scared to walk past it. It had a big wooden door with a chain on it from what I remember. This would have been mid-late 60s. My dad used to tell a story about our great grandfather coming out of the Kings Arms one night worse for wear and swearing he saw the devil coming out of there - though perhaps it could have the beer talking. That would have been in the late 40s.". - Bev Aldridge, Former St Osyth Resident from 1959-86 (2025)

 

In the early 1980s, the building was reinforced with new brickwork, joined to the neighboring property, and converted into a home, selling for the first time in 1985. Over the next 20 years, its notoriety as a haunted house would grow. At first, there wasn't anything unusual reported about the property, but rather patterns that would begin to emerge over time. For instance, some observed that the property cycled through owners unusually fast and often sat vacant^[18], or was leased to tenants rather than being lived in by the owners. Paranormal activity peaked in 2024, when the home was purchased Vanessa Mitchell - Vanessa would shortly after claim to be driven out by a violent entity^[13], an ordeal that inspired multiple books. Unable to sell and also refusing to live in the house herself, she opened the doors to paranormal investigators who continued documenting strange phenomena over the next 10 years including slamming doors, door latches rattling, mysterious objects appearing, and disembodied voices. Media attention peaked when CCTV footage captured a guest’s face seemingly transforming to what some have described as an "evil grin"^[14].

 

A guest's face was witnessed to transform by other guests and captured on CCTV, described as an "evil grin".

 

"I've lived in the Clacton area on and off for over 26 years. I admit the property used to make the hairs stand up on the back of my neck every time we drove past. I always thought an old lady lived there as I always saw her in the window - I even bagan waving at her! It wasn’t until a decade later I heard about the ghost stories and saw the house featured on a TV show that I found out the house had been largely empty the whole time! These days, I avoid looking at the house whenever we drive past".  - Nicola Nicholls, Clacton Resident (2025)

 

The home finally managed to sell in 2020 to a new owner who was seemingly unphased by the paranormal claims and intended to rennovate the property. However, like many owners before them, they would never actually move in, abandoning their restoration efforts and selling the property only a short time later. In 2025, The Cage was purchased by paranormal investigator and influencer, Amy's Crypt who has vowed to restore the home and open it as an overnight museum^[15]. Amy claims to continue having paranormal experiences to this day, and perhaps more interestingly, has also revealed a string of strange life events and synchronicities—many captured in her past vlogs years before the property was even on the market—that mysteriously seemed to foreshadow her arrival.

 

"After purchasing The Cage, I was shocked to find clues buried in my old, unedited video diaries filmed years earlier. References to cages, witches, and the name Ursula kept surfacing—almost as if my fate was predestined and I was being guided to the home. The Cage still guides me to this day." - Amy's Crypt, 2025

 

The Cage of St Osyth Today

Today, The Cage of St Osyth remains a prominent landmark in the town and important part of the town's historical and cultural identity, its story and connection to the witch trials often cited by local historians and the Tendring District Council^[16][17]. In 2025, the home was falling into a state of disrepair having not been maintained or occupied for nearly a decade. The new owners are committed to preserving its legacy by converting the home into an overnight accomodation and museum^[15].

 

 

Supporting references

[1] Stallion, M (2019) Lock-ups, Stocks and Whipping Posts. Essex Police Museum.

[2] 1841, Census of England and Wales, County of Essex, District of St Osyth, Enumeration District 14. Available at  ancestry.com (charges apply).

[3] 1856. The County and Borough Police Act. Legislation UK.

[4] Cunningham Glen, W (1875) "Police Officers and Constables' Guide". Shaw & Sons.

[6] Foxen, L (1989) "The Village of St Osyth Over Past Centuries". Aylott Publishers.

[7] Savills (1985). "Sale listing for The Cage, 14 Colchester Road". Accessed via the Essex Record Office.

[8] Camplin, T. (2021) Dating English Houses by External Features. Peterborough Archaeology Group.

[9] Tendring District Council - Listed Buildings: Brick and Brickwork

[10] Historic England - Official list entry for St Osyth's Prior Boundary Walls

[11] W. W., (fl. 1577-1582) "A true and iust recorde, of the information, examination and confession of all the witches, taken at S. Ofes in the countie of Essex whereof some were executed, and other some entreated according to the determination of lawe. Wherein all men may see what a pestilent people witches are, and how vnworthy to lyue in a Christian Commonwealth.". Available at: https://quod.lib.umich.edu 

[12] Gibson, M. (2022) "The Witches of St Osyth". Cambridge University Press.

[13] Estep, R. & Mitchell, V. (2017). Spirits of The Cage. Llewellyn Publications. 

[14] Mac, B (n.d.) The Cage St Osyth Witch Capture. Ghost Hunt UK. 

[15] Waine, A. (2025). The Cage: St Osyth's 'Witch Prison'. Amy's Crypt

[16] St Osyth Museum. The Cage.

[17] Tendring District Council. (2021). St Osyth Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan. 

[18] Susie, K (2024) The Poltergeist In The Cage, St Osyth, England. Medium.