Guernsey’s Tower Hill Steps hold a dark and fiery secret – the brutal execution of three women by fire, with a macabre twist.
The women – a widow and her two adult daughters – were condemned to death in 1556 for heresy, having supposedly “condemned and forsaken” the Catholic Church by not attending mass.
Now, a novelist from Jersey has retold the “harrowing” story from the point of view of one of the daughters, Perotine Massey.
Dreena Collins told Express Perotine‘s story was “really important and shocking”.
As the trio – now known as the Guernsey Martyrs – were “common women” few records about them exist, so Ms Collins had to imagine and invent many of the details of the story, based on years of research.
Perotine was originally accused of receiving a stolen silver goblet, but that charge was dropped when it became clear she was trying to return it to its owner.
However, during proceedings, the women’s non-attendance at church came to light.
The trio were condemned to death without a proper chance to hear the accusations against them or to defend themselves, according to a report from near the time.
Unlike many Protestant martyrs, the women apologised for not going to mass, Ms Collins said, not realising it was illegal.
Most people “stuck to their guns”, she said, but “these women didn’t react like that – and yet were treated appallingly”, she said.
Ms Collins, who lives in Jersey, visited Guernsey several times for the book – exploring locations such as Castle Cornet, where Perotine was imprisoned with her sister, Guillemine Gilbert, and mother Katherine Cawches (sometimes known as Catherine Cauchés).
The Guernsey Martyrs’ story was first recounted in John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs.
Mr Foxe called it one of the most “lamentable” stories in the entire book, as it was “so far off from all compassion and sense of humanity”.
The women were supposed to be hanged before their bodies were burned, but the ropes broke – and they were left to burn to death.
While she didn’t want to give “spoilers” for readers who were unfamiliar with the historical story, Ms Collins said there was a macabre twist that was “even more devastating than you might imagine”.
Ms Collins has already written six published novels as well as several short story collections, but said ‘Perotine’ took her much longer than the other books, “partly because it was new territory and partly the research”.
She had advice from some people to remove the more gruesome aspects of the story, but felt it would have done the real-life Perotine “a bit of a disservice to her by trying to dilute her”.
“People read stories about Joan of Arc and Henry the Eighth’s wives – we know what happened and we know how hard it was,” she added.
‘Perotine’ is Ms Collins’ first novel set in the Channel Islands, but it definitely won’t be the last.
“My next novel is actually going to be Jersey Occupation novel,” she said, adding: “I’ve done Guernsey, now I’m doing Jersey.”
‘Perotine’ by Dreena Collins is out on 21 April, published by Blue Ormer. There will be a public launch event in Jersey on Wednesday 29 April at 19:00 at ArtHouse Jersey’s Capital House.
Ms Collins will also be speaking at the Guernsey Literary Festival at midday on Friday 1 May at Guille-Allès Library and appearing at Writer’s Block for a book signing at 11am on 30 April.