George Lukins: The Yatton Daemoniac

George Lukins, a tailor from the village of Yatton in Somerset, England, claimed to be possessed by seven demons for eighteen years. His case attracted widespread attention and culminated in a public exorcism in 1778 performed by seven clergymen, which was reported to have freed him. The case became one of the most famous possession accounts of eighteenth-century England.

The Affliction

Lukins’s troubles reportedly began around 1770, when he was involved in some sort of theatrical performance. Accounts vary on whether he was performing in a mummers’ play or reciting at a Christmas entertainment when he was suddenly seized with violent fits.

From that point on, Lukins experienced periodic episodes that he attributed to demonic possession. During these fits, he would sing, bark, speak in strange voices, and claim to be inhabited by seven devils. He would declare himself “the devil” and blaspheme in ways that shocked witnesses.

The episodes reportedly began on Christmas and ended at midsummer each year, following a predictable pattern over eighteen years. Between episodes, Lukins was said to be a mild, pious man.

Medical and Clerical Attention

Lukins was examined by numerous physicians over the years. Some attributed his condition to epilepsy or other natural causes; others could find no physical explanation for his symptoms. He was reportedly treated without success by various doctors and cunning folk.

Local clergy were divided. Some believed Lukins genuinely possessed; others suspected fraud or mental illness. The case became a subject of debate in Somerset and beyond.

The Exorcism

In June 1778, a public exorcism was arranged at Temple Church in Bristol. Seven clergymen from the Church of England and Methodist traditions participated, corresponding to the seven demons Lukins claimed inhabited him.

A large crowd witnessed the ceremony. According to accounts, Lukins displayed his usual symptoms—singing, cursing, speaking in strange voices. The clergy prayed and commanded the demons to depart.

By the end of the ritual, Lukins was reportedly calm and declared himself freed. He supposedly never experienced another episode and lived the rest of his life as a normal man.

Contemporary Reaction

The case was extensively documented and debated. Believers pointed to Lukins’s eighteen years of suffering, the failure of medical treatment, and the immediate and permanent cure achieved through exorcism as evidence of genuine possession.

Skeptics noted that Lukins had been involved in theatrical performance before his affliction, suggesting he might have learned to simulate possession convincingly. They pointed out that the “cure” came with considerable public attention and presumably some financial benefit.

The case became part of ongoing debates about the reality of possession, the role of exorcism, and the boundaries between spiritual and medical explanations for disturbing behavior.

Assessment

George Lukins remains a controversial figure. Was he genuinely possessed, mentally ill, or a conscious fraud? The eighteen-year duration of his affliction argues against simple fraud—it would be an extraordinary commitment to deception. His theatrical background, however, provided him with skills that could simulate possession.

What is certain is that many people, including clergy and physicians, witnessed his episodes and were convinced that something extraordinary was occurring. Whether that something was demonic, psychological, or theatrical, Lukins’s case became a touchstone for discussions of possession that continue to this day.