David Winter (Jon Finch) is a reclusive hard working film composer, he lives in the remote Woodstock Farm which he as converted into a recording studio. His wife Mary (Prunella Gee) is a successful actress, who is off working most of the time which leaves David thinking she is having an affair, as a result he is constantly hitting the Scotch and his work has subsequently been affected. On one such evening when his spirits are low, David goes to tend the horses in the stable as a sudden storm is about to break, there huddled in the straw he finds what he thinks is his startled dog hiding from the storm, but it turns out to be a woman, naked but for a loose fitting hooded cloak. She is startled by her surroundings and introduces herself as Lucinda Jessop, a witch no less who proclaims to have been transported from the 1600's to the present, back to Woodstock Farm her former home. Having been on the run from the local Witchfinder, she takes great glee in taunting her former adversary. Needless to say despite her seeming authenticity, David believes she is an escaped lunatic and locks her in an upstairs bedroom, while he calls his friend Dr. Charles Henderson who may be able to help. Charles who is Mary's secret lover is none too surprised when he finds nobody in the still locked bedroom, believing David is hallucinating due to the mix of alcohol and medication and suspicion of adultery, he sedates David. After his wife returns, David explains that the witch has him under her spell, a spell he doesn't feel able to fight, she doesn't believe the story either, although after Mary finds deep scratches in his back she does some local detective work that shows that such a witch did exist and was the only witch to escape the clutches of the witchfinder. So is David just drunk or going mad? or is there some truth to the story? After an accident that sees her in hospital, Mary is left with no doubt.
A tale of witchcraft from Hammer's House of Horror, is for the most part an interesting story, that provides some background into witch hunts of the past. Irish actress Patricia Quinn may be nothing to look at, but her portrayal of the traumatized and menacing witch Lucinda feels very authentic, she nails the character with an effective mix of wide eyed cackling and some fine acting. Jon Finch perhaps best known for his role in Hitchcock's Frenzy, is here, a good few pounds heavier and fairly unrecognizable with a tired and disheveled look, his demise into an alcoholic stupor coupled with his fear of being powerless gives us a hint of his past glories. Director Leaver is more used to detective and crime shows and was probably the wrong choice to helm this one, in more horror friendly hands it could have been very good. As tales of witchcraft go, this isn't bad though, a suitable atmosphere of menace and magic is built up and when all seems like being lost for the Winters, there is a satisfactory and somewhat exciting and fiery climax to events. There is some nudity involved here which is strangely rather distracting, in a bad way, i don't say that often, but this is a case in point where a clothed witch would have made for a better film.
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