On the recommendation of professor Alan Driscoll (Christopher Lee), a young schoolgirl, Nan Barlow (Polynesia Stevenson), goes to the fictional Massachus Etz town of Whitwood to study witchcraft. She finds the town occupied by the reincarnation of a notorious witch, Lady Elizabeth Selwyn / Newlis (Patricia Jessier), who was burned at the stake in the 17th century. In order to maintain her immortality, virgins must be sacrificed to witches every year-and this year, the student is the chosen victim.