Fen Witch - no. 225

Martha "Amber" Wycherley - Fen Witch

Martha Wycherley lived on the edge of the fens in a small cottage built of clay and reeds, where locals sought her remedies for everything from toothaches to heartbreak. Her distinctive amber hair—unusual enough to raise whispers of otherworldly origins—was often streaked with black from the peat fires where she brewed her potions. Though Cambridge scholars dismissed her as a simple herbalist, Martha possessed uncanny knowledge of the changing seasons and animal behaviour that saved many fen dwellers from flooding and harsh winters. The University's physicians would secretly consult her when their conventional treatments failed, though they would never acknowledge her publicly.

The orange ceramic ghost with black streaks represents Martha's fiery hair and the peat smoke that constantly infused her clothing and skin. The empty black eyes reflect the mysteries of the fens that only she could interpret. Owners often note that gardens seem to flourish when this ghost is present, and household plants bloom out of season. Some claim that during full moons, the orange glaze seems to shimmer with an inner light, as if the ghost is practicing its ancient fen magic.