There is a view that whereas any mediæval peasants resurrected at the turn of the twentieth century and taken on a tour of the village in which they used to live would hardly have noticed the difference, any brought back to life today would think themselves transported to another planet. In February 2001, three lecturers at our local university –Professor Godfrey Browning, MA, DSc, Doctor Howard Dart, MA, FRS, and Professor Brigitte May, MA, FRHS, a resident of this village– enlisted the help of our witch to put this hypothesis, or at least the latter half of it, to the test. Below are edited highlights of a diary by Professor May, Senior Lecturer in Applied Historical Speculation. Despite its abbreviations, this is, to the layperson, by far the most readable of their accounts of their findings.

Final planning. Experiment details confirmed: witch will revive as many corpses as we need, but sbjcts to live no more than 2 wks. Key focus areas identified. HD suggests sbjcts be kept in village at all times –easier to manage. GB, in contrast, proposes full socio-cultural itinerary –football matches, cinemas, galleries, clubs, restaurants. Magnanimously offers to be chaperon. BM recognises self-sacrifice, but reasons no definite plan can be implemented till sbjcts’ reactions to revival assessed.

Quantity of sbjcts. BM thinks as wide range as poss. of deceased should be revived, incl. reps of both sexes / all age groups / every century back to 1066. 100 statistically convenient. HD objects –numerous potential obstacles, how to keep control? GB prefers resurrecting just 1, poss. young woman aged 16–30. Willing to take personal responsibility for looking after her. Finally, we agree just 2 to be resurrected –1 female (F), 1 male (M). Neither to be over 40, as ‘We don’t want them having a heart attack and dying on us before we’ve had a chance to do anything’ [GB]. Neither to be under 20, as ‘We have to be able to have sensible conversations with them’ [HD].

All v. excited. Unique opportunity, a privilege. No one knows what to expect.