THE mysterious powers of Knaresborough prophetess and witch Mother Shipton are out in full force at the York Dungeon.

Her story is being re-told in a new live show dedicated to her residence, Old Mother Shipton’s Cave, as the focus of the second Yorkshire Rogues & Legends attractions: a year-long campaign to bring the stories of famous Yorkshire characters back into the limelight.

Visitors will be in for a surprise, however, because the show takes a new approach to her story, as displays manager Anna Carline explained: "Most of our shows take place during the life and times of famous Yorkshire characters, like Guy Fawkes or Dick Turpin, but this is the first time our show is set years after the character's death."

Visitors will encounter Mother Shipton’s Cave as it would have looked in the Victorian age, after becoming England’s first entrance-charging tourist attraction, open since 1630.

The York Dungeon team re-creating the Knaresborough cave hope that not only the scenery is convincing. "We like to think that there is a lot of truth to Mother Shipton’s power, and that those who set foot into our version of her famous cave might just come face to face with those powers themselves," said Anna.

In her scarily accurate prophecies, Mother Shipton is said to have foretold the Great Fire of London, the invention of the internet and even the end of the world. Allegedly too, she could turn things to stone, but it is now known that this petrifying "ability" was down to the mineral rich waters that ran through her cave, leading to a build-up of stone sediment on any objects they passed over.

The dungeon research team has been working closely with cave staff to gain an insight into Mother Shipton and the Knaresborough visitor attraction through lectures, visits and sharing experiences. Mother Shipton’s Cave visitors will receive a 40 per cent discount on admission to the York Dungeon until July 1.

Mother Shipton is one of 11 live shows at the dungeon, in Clifford Street, and follows the first Rogues & Legends show, Cartimandua, killer queen of the Brigantes. Still to come are the much maligned last Plantagenet king, Richard III, from July, and the Pearl of York, Saint Margaret Clitheroe, a 16th century martyr of the Roman Catholic Church, from October.

For more information on these shows and to book tickets, visit thedungeons.com/york.