The Witches of Fairfield, CT: 1692’s Edwards Pond Trial

Nestled between Fairfield, CT’s Sullivan Independence Hall and the Fairfield Museum, what appears to be an ordinary stretch of grass and trees was once a notorious site of colonial-era superstition and fear. This small depression in the land was once known as Edwards Pond, a now-forgotten landmark that played a role in Connecticut’s dark history of witch trials.

While most people associate witch trials with Salem, Massachusetts, Fairfield, Connecticut, had its own share of witchcraft accusations in the late 17th century. Between 1647 and 1697, multiple people in Connecticut were accused of being witches, some even executed. In 1692, the same year that Salem’s hysteria reached its peak, Fairfield County saw its own series of accusations and trials—including an infamous test of trial by water that took place at Edwards Pond.

The case that made Edwards Pond infamous began with Catherine Branch, a young servant in Fairfield who experienced fits and convulsions. At the time, Puritan settlers believed such unexplained ailments could be caused by witchcraft, and Branch soon accused multiple women of bewitching her.

Among the accused were Mercy Disbrough of Compo (now Westport) and Elizabeth Clawson of Stamford, who were brought to trial in 1692. While some of the accused fled, Disbrough and Clawson were subjected to trial by water, an old and dangerous test meant to determine if someone was a witch. According to popular belief, water was a pure and holy element—if a person was rejected by it (i.e., floated), they were guilty of witchcraft. If they sank, they were innocent—though sinking often meant drowning.

Both women were bound hand and foot and thrown into Edwards Pond before a watching crowd. According to witness testimony, they “swam like a cork”, meaning they floated rather than sinking. This should have sealed their fate as witches, but their case was unusual—the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict. While Elizabeth Clawson was found not guilty, Mercy Disbrough was convicted. However, a group petitioned on her behalf, and she was spared execution on a legal technicality.

Edwards Pond was filled in around 1869, and the land was preserved as a permanent public space, ensuring that no buildings would ever be constructed over it. Today, the area is a quiet green space, but a historical marker still stands to remind visitors of its unsettling past.