Case file · Series 7, Episode 6 · Season 7, Episode 6
The Straw Woman
A revived pagan festival becomes a murder scene when a curate is trapped inside its burning straw effigy.
The 60-second case card
Should I watch this one?
The episode's apparently supernatural fires are staged against a village already primed to interpret conflict as witchcraft.
- Best for
- Pagan festival · Witchcraft · Fire
- Mood
- Eccentric
- Team
- DCI Tom Barnaby with DS Dan Scott
- Spoiler guidance
- Read the premise freely; open the marked sections only after watching. Check the linked provider advisory for further viewing information.
Why it matters
The episode's apparently supernatural fires are staged against a village already primed to interpret conflict as witchcraft.
Midsomer Parva revives an old festival centred on burning a straw woman. The celebration becomes horrific when curate Alex Deakin is discovered inside the effigy and burns before the assembled villagers.
Further deaths appear to involve spontaneous human combustion, strengthening rumours about curses and local witchcraft. Barnaby and Scott trace the practical means behind the fires while examining religious conflict, a school campaign and relationships hidden by the spectacle.
Break the seal: reveal the finding
Who was the killer in The Straw Woman? (spoiler)
The combustion is engineered rather than supernatural; the festival imagery diverts attention from personal grievance and the effort to punish or protect members of the same circle.
Spoiler-safe viewing companion
Three questions to carry into the episode
Three spoiler-safe questions for your rewatch.
- Place
What does Midsomer Parva conceal?
- Theme
Which details could have more than one meaning?
- Teamwork
Watch DCI Tom Barnaby and DS Dan Scott: who notices what?
More episode detailsProduction, cast, deaths and filming information
Credits, context and checked facts
Production and cast
- TV series
- Series 7
- Episode number
- Episode 6
- Written by
- Jeff Dodds
- Directed by
- Sarah Hellings
- Listed transmission date(s)
- 29 February 2004
- Reported filming period
- November–December 2003
- Detective
- DCI Tom Barnaby
- Partner
- DS Dan Scott
- Pathologist
- Dr George Bullard · Barry Jackson
- Principal setting
- Midsomer Parva
- Casebook tone
- Eccentric
Sources accompany the production credits and filming links.
Fictional settings and real filming places are listed separately. Filming links include 1 mapped area; 3 exact sites.
Credits and archive connections
- Writer credits1 episode credited to Jeff Dodds
- Director credits13 episodes directed by Sarah Hellings
- Release positionCase 34 of 144
- Story characterEccentric · Pagan festival · Witchcraft
- Location evidence3 exact screen-use matches
Turville's green beside St Mary the Virgin Church hosts the straw-woman ceremony.
Ibstone School becomes Midsomer Parva School, while Turville School is used as the village hall.
Sources for the production file
Published episode chronology and credits ↗Official ITV programme page ↗Filming-location reference index ↗Credits follow the linked chronology. Dates can differ between territories. Consult original credits for story, teleplay and adaptation wording. External synopses may contain spoilers.
Selected episode credits
The Straw Woman cast
These selected cast entries link to their published profiles. They do not include every name shown in the end credits.
Jane Wymark
Laura Howard
Alex Belcourt
Jemima Rooper
Daniel Weyman
Maggie O'Neill
Richard Cordery
Susannah Wise
Keith Barron
Caroline Lintott
Sarah Ball
Madeleine Rakic-Platt
Kelly Hunter
Martin Herdman
Richenda Carey
Jonathan Hackett
The performers behind this case
Core cast
Follow the cast links for full actor and character guides.
John Nettles
Tom Barnaby · Detective Chief Inspector- Bergerac
- Poldark
- Royal Shakespeare Company
John Hopkins
Dan Scott · Detective Sergeant- Royal Shakespeare Company
- Poldark
- Horizon game series
Barry Jackson
Dr George Bullard · Police pathologist- Cathy Come Home
- Doctor Who
- Barry Lyndon
Image credits identify the licence used. No programme publicity stills are reproduced.
Forensic team
Dr George Bullard
- Credit
- Resident pathologist
- Played by
- Barry Jackson
Spoiler-controlled deaths
Deaths recorded in this case
3 people die in this case, according to the linked death record.
Break the seal: reveal the list of deaths
- Alex Dakin (Curate)
Murder · Poisoning
Performer check- Alex Dakin: not listed in the current published cast recordNo Alex Dakin performer appears in the current published cast record.
- Reverend Jim Hale
Murder · Burning or heat
Performer check- Reverend Jim Hale: Jonathan Hackett
- Liz Francis
Murder · Burning or heat
Performer check- Liz Francis: Susannah Wise
Break a second seal: reveal the verified killer
Who was the killer in The Straw Woman? (spoiler)
Agnes WaterhouseAgnes killed Alex Dakin, Reverend Jim Hale and Elizabeth Francis while constructing a witchcraft narrative around Kate Malpas. Her attempt to poison Alan Clifford and frame Kate was interrupted and is not counted as a fourth murder.
Verified motive
Agnes killed Alex and Jim to construct a witchcraft narrative that would frame romantic rival Kate, then killed Elizabeth after she uncovered the scheme. Agnes tried to kill Alan and herself to achieve the 'perfect death' with him while leaving Kate blamed.
Verified important clue
Archive case 34 · checked 16 September 2026The toluene hidden behind Agnes's drugs fridgeToluene can keep phosphorus dissolved until the solvent evaporates, providing the practical method behind the supposedly spontaneous fires and tying the staged combustion to Agnes rather than witchcraft.
Verified decisive clue
Archive case 34 · checked 17 September 2026The toluene hidden behind Agnes's drugs fridgeToluene can hold phosphorus in solution until the solvent evaporates, supplying the practical method behind the supposedly spontaneous fires. Finding it in Agnes's dispensary links the staged combustion to her and prompts the resolution, while the interrupted poisoning of Alan remains an attempt rather than another death.
Verified red herring
Archive case 34 · checked 17 September 2026Kate Malpas and the apparent witchcraft firesKate's herbal medicines and sedative valerian are found across the village while the deaths appear to reproduce a witchcraft narrative, provoking public accusations against her. The fire effects can be created chemically and Agnes has planted the pattern to frame her romantic rival; Kate helps save Alan when Agnes's final poisoning is interrupted.
Verified death and discovery order
Archive case 34 · checked 16 September 2026- deathAlex Dakin burns in the straw woman
Agnes places the curate inside the festival effigy and uses the public burning to begin a witchcraft frame around Kate.
- discoveryThe festival fire is recognised as murder
Alex is identified inside the effigy, turning the revived ceremony into the first murder scene.
- deathReverend Jim Hale is killed
Agnes kills Jim and continues the engineered-fire pattern that encourages supernatural suspicion.
- deathElizabeth Francis is killed
Agnes kills Elizabeth after she uncovers the construction of the witchcraft narrative.
- discoveryThe practical fire method is uncovered
The evidence separates the deaths from spontaneous combustion and points back to Agnes's deliberate staging.
- discoveryAlan's poisoning is interrupted
Police stop Agnes's attempt to poison Alan and herself and frame Kate, preventing a fourth death.
Real place → fictional identity
Where was The Straw Woman filmed?
Ibstone School
Used as: The school represents Midsomer Parva School.
Turville School
Used as: The school building is used as the village hall.
Representative photograph of the real filming location; the exact camera angle or building may differ.Village green beside St Mary the Virgin Church
Used as: The green hosts the fictional straw-woman festival and burning effigy.
Representative photograph of the real filming location; the exact camera angle or building may differ.Sources accompany the identified filming places.
Wider filming areas