On the recommendation of her professor Alan Driscoll (Christopher Lee), a young female student Nan Barlow (Venetia Stevenson) travels to the fictional Massachus etts town of Whitewood to do some research into witchcraft. She finds the town occupied by the reincarnation of an infamous witch Elizabeth Selwyn / Mrs. Newless (Patricia Jessel) who was burned at the stake in the 17th century. To sustain her immortality, virgins must be sacrificed to the witch every year – and this year, the student is the chosen victim.