Two Girls One Ghost – Episode 347

The Witch of York | Mother Shipton

Air Date: November 9, 2025
Hosts: Corinne Vien & Sabrina Deana-Roga

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode delves into the enigmatic and legendary life of Mother Shipton (Ursula Southeil), reputed as England’s most powerful witch and prophetess from the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Through storytelling, historical context, and discussion, Corinne and Sabrina examine the blurred lines between myth and reality in Mother Shipton’s life, her famous prophecies, and her enduring legacy as a symbol of female survival, wisdom, and otherness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Lives – Agatha and Ursula (Mother Shipton)

• Intro to the Story: The hosts contextualize “witches who walked before us” and reflect on the importance of honoring their stories, especially as “baby witches” themselves [06:01–06:27].
• Legendary Origin:
  • Mother Shipton was born in 1488 in Yorkshire, England, to a 15-year-old orphan named Agatha, who labored alone in a cave during a thunderstorm.
  • The legend is gothic: Ursula’s birth coincides with dramatic weather, and her first sounds are cackles, not cries—her laughter echoing through the village [08:04–09:06].
    • “No one will ever forget the night the witch was born… the cackles bounce off the walls and travel down the mountainous landscape.” (Aurora, 08:04)
• Agatha’s Fate:
  • Agatha, ostracized for her mysterious pregnancy (rumored a pact with the devil), is forced to raise Ursula in the cave.
  • Eventually, a churchman finds them: Agatha is sent to a convent (where she dies soon after) and Ursula to foster care. They never reunite [21:04–21:34].
    • “He puts the mom, Agatha, in a convent, and then finds a foster family for Ursula. And Ursula and Agatha never see each other again.” (Aurora, 21:22)

2. Ursula's (Mother Shipton’s) Early Life and Powers

• Growing Up Different:
  • Ursula is described as “strange,” clever, and able to perform unexplainable feats—levitating in a fireplace unharmed, finishing people’s sentences, and affecting her environment (school lights flicker, objects move) [22:41–23:23].
    • “She finds Ursula levitating in the fireplace… Ursula is not burning.” (Aurora, 22:47)
  • Constantly bullied and called 'Devil’s child,' she resorts to playful but sometimes vengeful magic, turning bullies’ belongings into oddities (roofs into hats, ale into vinegar) [24:19–25:04].
• Healing Powers & Respect:
  • Despite ridicule, townsfolk seek Ursula for her herbal and magical remedies—she becomes indispensable, respected and feared at once [25:06–25:37].
    • “They started to need her, too… she would gather herbs and roots, make remedies… could even predict the weather based on how a flower would open.” (Aurora, 25:11)

3. Marriage, Loss, and Retreat

• Tobias Shipton:
  • Ursula marries Tobias, a local carpenter; the town gossips assume witchcraft is at play [29:33]. Tobias genuinely loves her independent spirit, but tragically dies after two years, leaving her bereft and under renewed suspicion [30:20–31:04].
    • “For two full years, they had a very happy life. Until Tobias suddenly dropped dead.” (Aurora, 30:20)
• Return to the Cave:
  • Widowed, Ursula returns to her cave, finding solace and safety in the place of her birth, resuming her role as the “witch in the cave” and drawing visitors from afar—including royalty [32:29–33:54].

4. Prophecies & Encounters with Power

• Mother Shipton vs. Cardinal Wolsey:
  • King Henry VIII and the Duke of Norfolk correspond about her. Ursula foresees that Cardinal Wolsey will never reach York if he visits while the king is there. Cardinal sends nobles to test her; she identifies them by name and predicts their futures—each prophecy comes true [33:59–36:51].
    • “She removes the scarf... tosses it in the fire. That headscarf does not burn… If these will not burn, neither shall I.” (Aurora, 34:31)
    • “She told the Duke... you’ll one day be as low as I am… later fell from power and died in disgrace.” (Aurora, 35:09)
• Notable Prophecies:
  • Predicts the English Civil War outcome, power struggles, and the rise and reign of Queen Elizabeth I (the “woman with one eye”) [41:48–42:39].
  • Foretells technological revolutions (cars, planes, submarines) and even doomsday scenarios—although many of these were only attributed many centuries after her death [44:39–51:01].
    • “When carriages without horses run, when men shall fly as birds have flown. When ships shall swim beneath the sea. Then half the world, deep drenched in blood shall be.” (Aurora, 44:39)

5. Fact, Fiction, and Historical Legacy

• Separating Legend from Reality:
  • The earliest records (1641 pamphlet) are already 70+ years posthumous and likely based on oral tradition; the 1881 “Mother Shipton Investigated” is full of embellishment and creative liberties (confirmed by its own author), casting doubt on many later “prophecies,” particularly the famous doomsday prediction [51:03–52:59].
    • “Charles Henley... admitted to taking creative liberties... so when you read his iterations of her story... that’s him dramatizing it.” (Aurora, 52:49)

6. Mother Shipton’s Enduring Impact

• Survival & Symbolism:
  • Mother Shipton survived ostracization, transformed spite into power, and rewrote her own narrative. Despite little historical certainty, she remains a symbol of female strength, otherness, and prophecy [56:27–57:31].
    • “Mother Shipton is a survivor... her story is far more than prophecy or witchcraft. It really is about survival… even death could not silence her.” (Aurora, 57:13)
• Tourism, Myth & Science:
  • The cave and petrifying well where Ursula lived is now England’s oldest tourist attraction (since the 1630s), famous for turning objects to stone due to minerals in the water—once thought magical, now geologically explained [54:58–56:27].
    • “The cave has turned into a tourist attraction and is actually England’s oldest tourist attraction.” (Aurora, 54:58)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“No one will ever forget the night the witch was born. Agatha takes in her newborn baby girl for the very first time. And she's reminded again. She knows this girl will be strong, fierce, a force to be reckoned with.”
— Aurora [08:36]

“If these will not burn, neither shall I.”
— Aurora as Mother Shipton [35:06]

“She became an expert on the land of nature. She could predict the weather based on the way a flower would open...”
— Aurora [25:37]

“When carriages without horses run,
When men shall fly as birds have flown.
When ships shall swim beneath the sea.
Then half the world deep, drenched in blood shall be.”
— Aurora (quoting the 1881 prophecy) [44:39]

“Mother Shipton is a survivor. Her story is far more than prophecy or witchcraft. It really is about survival. A woman who was cast out for being different, who managed to survive and became larger than life... even death could not silence her.”
— Aurora [57:13]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [06:01] — Introduction of Mother Shipton and her extraordinary birth
• [08:04] — The stormy birth and Ursula’s infamous cackle
• [09:32] — Origin of the “outcast” legend; Agatha and Ursula in the cave
• [21:03] — Agatha and Ursula are separated; Agatha’s death
• [22:41] — Early signs of Ursula’s supernatural abilities
• [24:19] — Ursula’s playful, petty magical retribution
• [25:06] — Community relies on Ursula’s healing and prophecies
• [29:33] — Ursula’s marriage to Tobias Shipton, his sudden death
• [32:29] — Ursula returns to her cave; her legend grows
• [33:54] — The Cardinal Wolsey prophecy and the “testing” nobles
• [41:48] — Prophecy of Queen Elizabeth I, “the woman with one eye”
• [44:39] — 1881 prophecy: predictions of cars, planes, and submarines
• [51:03] — Dissecting the truth and myths of her published prophecies
• [54:58] — The petrifying well and England’s oldest tourist attraction
• [56:27] — Mother Shipton as survivor and symbol for women
• [57:31] — Listener story: “Witch Sister” from Cindy

Listener Story Highlight

• [58:54–64:14] Sabrina reads “Witch Sister” from Cindy, describing childhood experiences in Salem, Massachusetts, and recurring past-life dreams of being burned as a witch. Cindy suffers physical manifestations (blisters and swelling) correlating with her dreams, feels drawn to the supernatural, and speculates on the blessings and curses of “witchy gifts.”
  • “For many years into my teens, I would have the same dream of being burned for being a witch. And then I would wake up with actual burn marks on my body.” (Cindy via Sabrina, 60:47)

Tone & Style

The episode retains the signature friendly, humorous, and witchy banter of Corinne and Sabrina, blending researched storytelling with spontaneous discussion, empathy for historical women, and a healthy skepticism of legend. They intersperse tangents about personal experiences, modern witchcraft, and lighthearted asides, while maintaining a reverence for the subject.

Takeaways

• Mother Shipton’s story embodies both the trauma and the agency of women labelled as 'other' by society: she leveraged outsider status into power, using her knowledge, wit, and reputation to survive—and even thrive—against the odds.
• Legends are complex, evolving mixtures of truth and embellishment: separating fact from fiction is fraught, but the meaning endures.
• Places of 'magic' often have natural explanations: yet myth and science can coexist, contributing to an enduring sense of wonder.
• Mother Shipton endures as a symbol—witch, survivor, prophetess, and icon for women and outsiders everywhere.

For more information or listener-submitted tales, visit Two Girls One Ghost Podcast or share your story at twogirls1ghostpodcastmail.com.

Next episode: More tales of witchy women and supernatural encounters.