As this blog reawakens, perhaps there is no more important topic than addressing the repetition of information about Mother Shipton, information which is not verifiable - and even patently false. Often this is unintentional, as so much unverifiable information about Mother Shipton has been propagating for centuries, it is very difficult to discern with accuracy. This started well before the internet era, though the time in which we live exacerbates the problem.
The website MotherShipton.com (originally ShiptonProphecy.com) exists to approach the questions we must face in as balanced a fashion as possible, using the most reliable sources available. It has also become its own research endeavor in the nearly 15 years it has existed, exploring new ideas based on the clues that can be observed.
Many
stories about Mother Shipton are highly entertaining to share, and that is
why they have been repeated, the repetition gifting them with the appearance of authenticity. Many of these stories
originated in the days when people enjoyed reading fantastic stories
about "witches". Is that where you would like to place your trust? The only authentic aspect of these stories (which have many variations) is people have chosen to share and (sometimes) believe them. Some of these stories are fun, and it's OK to share fun stories, but if we really want to know what might be true, that is a different focus.
The FAQs page on MotherShipton.com is a helpful place to start.
This post contains a historic drawing associated with stories about Mother Shipton.
