The Most Significant Scottish Trials

[AnjelWolf]

In reading one of my really old "Witchcraft & Demonology" books...I cam across this and thought it was interesting. These are some of the most significant witchcraft trails in Scotland.

Enjoy :)

 

1590: North Berwick Witches: A fantastic story of many witches sailing over the sea in sieves, and invoking temptests to shipwreck the King.

 

1590: Fian, John: The alleged ringleader of the North Berwick group, subjected to horrible torture.

 

1597: Aberdeen Witches: Witch mania resulted from King James Demonology.

 

1607: Grierson, Isobel: A typical witch trial, at the height of the mania, of a woman reputed "A common sorcerer and a witch"

 

1618: Barclay, Margaret: A gruesome trial, based on damnum minatum (witch threat), resulting in the torture and death of four persons accused.

 

1623: Perth Witch trials: A verbatim report of a trial involving simple acts of beneficent sorcery.

 

1654: Glenluce Devil: Typical poltergiest tricks by a young adolescent.

 

1662: Gowdie, Isobel: Imaginative and freely given confession embracing entire range of witcchraft; two accused presumably condemned.

 

1670: Weir, Thomas: A seventy-year old man becomes demented and confesses to monstrous perversions.

 

1697: Bargarran Imposter: twenty-four person indicted and seven witches of Renfew burned following charges of witchcraft by eleven-year-old Christine Shaw.

 

1704: Pittenweem Witches: Illustration of mob violence, condoned by clergy and judges, resulting in death of two accused witches.

[Rowan's Light]

Anjel I have a web address for the University of Edinburgh archives they compiled all the witch trial info for Scotland. It's very interesting they even hung one of their own ministers as a witch for getting up to no good with someone elses wife. i'll go and look for it

 

here it is http://www.arts.ed.ac.uk/witches/index.html

[AnjelWolf]

Cool thanks :)

[Guest finyacluck]

that was v. interesting. Totally of the subject......'Lanark',;Grey, Allister.

My favourite book of all time. Not exactly 'witchy'. but well worth a read.

[spinney]

1662: Gowdie, Isobel: Imaginative and freely given confession embracing entire range of witcchraft; two accused presumably condemned.

Freely given confession????

 

There is even a piece of classical music called the confession of Isobel Gowdie.

 

There was a Docu-Drama on TV a few years ago called witchcraze a true story about a young healer called Agnes Sampson.

Suspicions fell upon young Agnes Sampson, who was known as a healer and midwife who used herbs and old Catholic chants to cure ailments.

 

here a news paper bit http://heritage.scotsman.com/witchcraft/Devil-is-in-detail-of.2371092.jp

 

It was hard to watch especially the hypocrasy of the accussors, I seem to remember crying a lot.

[Guest Salem]

In reading one of my really old "Witchcraft & Demonology" books...I cam across this and thought it was interesting. These are some of the most significant witchcraft trails in Scotland.

Enjoy :)

 

1590: North Berwick Witches: A fantastic story of many witches sailing over the sea in sieves, and invoking temptests to shipwreck the King.

 

1590: Fian, John: The alleged ringleader of the North Berwick group, subjected to horrible torture.

 

1597: Aberdeen Witches: Witch mania resulted from King James Demonology.

 

1607: Grierson, Isobel: A typical witch trial, at the height of the mania, of a woman reputed "A common sorcerer and a witch"

 

1618: Barclay, Margaret: A gruesome trial, based on damnum minatum (witch threat), resulting in the torture and death of four persons accused.

 

1623: Perth Witch trials: A verbatim report of a trial involving simple acts of beneficent sorcery.

 

1654: Glenluce Devil: Typical poltergiest tricks by a young adolescent.

 

1662: Gowdie, Isobel: Imaginative and freely given confession embracing entire range of witcchraft; two accused presumably condemned.

 

1670: Weir, Thomas: A seventy-year old man becomes demented and confesses to monstrous perversions.

 

1697: Bargarran Imposter: twenty-four person indicted and seven witches of Renfew burned following charges of witchcraft by eleven-year-old Christine Shaw.

 

1704: Pittenweem Witches: Illustration of mob violence, condoned by clergy and judges, resulting in death of two accused witches.

 

Also 1771: 3 witches tortured & burnt at the sake for witchcraft under the vaults of Edinburgh, these were 3 generations of my family, the family name was Whitby, Edith (56), mirian (36) & faye (19). Death certs declare suicide, but i know different, so do my family members. x

 

:blobfire:

[AnjelWolf]

Also 1771: 3 witches tortured & burnt at the sake for witchcraft under the vaults of Edinburgh, these were 3 generations of my family, the family name was Whitby, Edith (56), mirian (36) & faye (19). Death certs declare suicide, but i know different, so do my family members. x

 

:blobfire:

 

 

Interesting...also...looking back on this...I should say that one of my ancestors (Katherine Gerard) was one of the Aberdeen Witches of 1597.

 

It is my deepest wish to go to Aberdeen Scotland one day and walk the land she walked as well.

[AnjelWolf]

Anjel I have a web address for the University of Edinburgh archives they compiled all the witch trial info for Scotland. It's very interesting they even hung one of their own ministers as a witch for getting up to no good with someone elses wife. i'll go and look for it

 

here it is http://www.arts.ed.ac.uk/witches/index.html

 

 

 

I dont know if i had responded with this yet or not but thank you :)

[Guest Salem]

Interesting...also...looking back on this...I should say that one of my ancestors (Katherine Gerard) was one of the Aberdeen Witches of 1597.

 

It is my deepest wish to go to Aberdeen Scotland one day and walk the land she walked as well.

 

I hope you get to do that 2 Anjel, I went to the edinburgh vaults & stood on the exact spot where the girls were burnt & I couldnt help but feel sick to the pit of my stomach & was filled with anger at the ppl that did it!! :mad2:

 

But we cant do anything about the past so I just paid my respects & quickly left!! Those vaults have the worst vibe I've ever felt!!!

 

:thumbsup:

[Dawn]

Are they the vaults under the city? The ones that are supposed to be extreamly haunted?

[Guest Salem]

Are they the vaults under the city? The ones that are supposed to be extreamly haunted?

 

Yep the same vaults!! Im not the kinda guy who feels fear easily, but there's shit down there I didnt want following me home!! so out came the protective shields!! dont use them often but I did that day, there's something very dark in nature under that city thats for sure!!!

 

:mad2:

[Dawn]

Never seen a ghost. Have smelt them and felt them but not seen one. I love the idea of it but i know with out a shadow of a doubt i would completely shit myself. So as much as i want to go there maybe not lol.

[AnjelWolf]

I hope you get to do that 2 Anjel, I went to the edinburgh vaults & stood on the exact spot where the girls were burnt & I couldnt help but feel sick to the pit of my stomach & was filled with anger at the ppl that did it!! :mad2:

 

But we cant do anything about the past so I just paid my respects & quickly left!! Those vaults have the worst vibe I've ever felt!!!

 

:thumbsup:

 

Really...see I want to do that so bad.

[Guest Salem]

I've seen spirits a few times, I love history, Im a bit of a geek when it comes to it to be honest!! lol!!! so end up in these creepy places sometimes.

 

The 1 instance that freaked me the fuck out tho was about 10 years ago at the tower of London, I had just left the army (I was in the parachute regiment for 5 years) & went to spend a few days with my old Sgt major who had become a beefeater at the tower a couple of years earlier, he knew I loved history so asked me if I wanted to wander around the tower after hours, I said yes as its a once in a lifetime thing, we left his house in the tower grounds at about 1am, bit pissed up, I felt drawn to the princes tower so went into it thinking my mate was behind me, he wasn't, I could hear him outside mumbling to himself, anyway I went up the stairs of the tower & came to a room at the top which was empty, then outta no-where I see this little boy in the corner crying, he was dressed in the attire of the 14th century, I froze to the spot & thought I was literally going to shit myself!!! the boy turns & looks directly at me!! My heart was going mad, the boy then said to me "where do all the lonely people go?", amazingly I managed a reply "I dont know sir, Im sorry" the boy then just disappeared right in front of me!!!!!!!! Well, that was it, I was off & running!!! but for some reason I didnt go down the stairs but ran straight out onto the walk way between the princes' tower & the tower used for high class prisoners, what do i run into?? only the spirit of bloody Sir walter raleigh!!! I couldnt believe this, the spirit gave no reaction to my presence so I was off & running again, luckly I found my mate!! I ended up in the tower hospital for 3 days & had to be treated for severe shock!!!

A crazy story but I swear its all true!!!

 

:Witch-1:

[Guest Salem]

Really...see I want to do that so bad.

 

I thought I wanted 2 also hun, but when ur there its seriously a different ball game!!! there's a lot of pain & shit down there, it feels like its coming outta the walls themselves!!

Out of all the places I've been to that are reputedly haunted the worst was the vaults under old Edinburgh!! the vibe is so nasty, like u expect to see a serial killer at work or something around the next corner!!

The tower of London is not much better as you can see from the story I just told!! lol!! But at least there is some good vibes there, mainly when Im looking at all the gold & stuff in the crown jewels collection!! lol!!

[AnjelWolf]

I thought I wanted 2 also hun, but when ur there its seriously a different ball game!!! there's a lot of pain & shit down there, it feels like its coming outta the walls themselves!!

Out of all the places I've been to that are reputedly haunted the worst was the vaults under old Edinburgh!! the vibe is so nasty, like u expect to see a serial killer at work or something around the next corner!!

The tower of London is not much better as you can see from the story I just told!! lol!! But at least there is some good vibes there, mainly when Im looking at all the gold & stuff in the crown jewels collection!! lol!!

 

Damn...if and when I get a chance to go...it will be connecting with my ancestor on a deeper level in some ways.

[Guest Salem]

Damn...if and when I get a chance to go...it will be connecting with my ancestor on a deeper level in some ways.

 

I think u will connect well with ur ancestors in Scotland, it's a very spiritual place, as is Ireland, maybe its because both countries have had a lot of persecution on loads of different levels over 1000 years or so, Im ashamed to say mostly by English kings. Its kinda hard being an anglo-irishman sometimes, I love England & I love Ireland & proud to have the heritage of both countries in my veins but English history is permanently stained with Irish, Scottish & Welsh blood!!

 

Standing on the moors of Culluden (apologises if the spelling is wrong) is also a place of great spirituality if you do go to Scotland hun, it was the scene of a great battle in 1745 between bonnie prince charlie & the jacobite army against the English crown, the last true rebellion of Scots against the English, lots of clansmen lost their lives that day but thew vibe from the place at night under a full moon is amazing, spiritually empowering, as tho pure energy is hitting ur body from all angles!!

 

:blobfire:

[spinney]

Mum is going up to Scotland soon so she is going to try and find out what happened to Sarah, exciting but sad.

A long time ago there was an 'adopt a witch' thing going on on the internet, I thought it was uber fluffy, but in some way I already had, there are a few that for some reason I 'honor' or who are in my thoughts. Random ones who I will only share 'witch blood' (don't laugh, can't think of another way to put it) with and another who is my relative.

 

There are quite a few links around about the witch trials, so interesting.

[Guest Salem]

Mum is going up to Scotland soon so she is going to try and find out what happened to Sarah, exciting but sad.

A long time ago there was an 'adopt a witch' thing going on on the internet, I thought it was uber fluffy, but in some way I already had, there are a few that for some reason I 'honor' or who are in my thoughts. Random ones who I will only share 'witch blood' (don't laugh, can't think of another way to put it) with and another who is my relative.

 

There are quite a few links around about the witch trials, so interesting.

 

Lol!! really?? adopt a witch? what do ppl think we are?? unwanted pets or something?? lol!!that sounds crazy!! hehe!!

Doesnt surprise me tho with the internet!! lol!!

 

"Witch blood".....havent heard that terminology in years!! true tho I cant think of another way to put it either! lol!!

 

Hope your mum has success is finding out what happened tho, it can be really hard if it happened after 1730, records seem to "disappear" after this time altho it is well known the burnings & torture continued in Scotland right up until the last century some believe!!!

 

:goodluck:

[Dawn]

This is kind of linked to the empath thread but do you ever find that when you visit places which have alot of history linked to them that the feelings can be harsh sometimes?

 

I went to Warwick Castle a couple of weekends ago, being a major history buff as well, and when i was in the main house i had an overwhelming feeling of sadness. All these school kids were running about , very buzzy atmosphere but I felt really low. I need to look up the history of it all to be honest see if I can link anything to my feelings.

 

I agree with the Tower of London, dark atmosphere there. Wycombe caves is pretty mental. It was the setting for the hell fire club founded by Sir Francis Dashwood. Heavy duty there as also the atmosphere around his mausoleam.

[Guest Salem]

This is kind of linked to the empath thread but do you ever find that when you visit places which have alot of history linked to them that the feelings can be harsh sometimes?

 

I went to Warwick Castle a couple of weekends ago, being a major history buff as well, and when i was in the main house i had an overwhelming feeling of sadness. All these school kids were running about , very buzzy atmosphere but I felt really low. I need to look up the history of it all to be honest see if I can link anything to my feelings.

 

I agree with the Tower of London, dark atmosphere there. Wycombe caves is pretty mental. It was the setting for the hell fire club founded by Sir Francis Dashwood. Heavy duty there as also the atmosphere around his mausoleam.

 

Yeah I do, for some reason scince I was young Ive been able to just tell if a place felt nice or not, never could explain it, even now if I go some1's house I can tell if theres something I dont like, spiritually, in there & have been known to refuse to go in some places!!

 

Ive wanted to go to Wycombe caves but where I normally have my girls at the weekend I cant really take them there, altho they like going to Chislehurst caves with me.

 

Warwick castle really does have a bad history I went there last year & felt as tho i couldnt go into certain parts of it without wanting to cry!!! :cry_witch:

 

But yeah this thread is going a bit away from the original subject!! lol!!

[Dawn]

Yeah get back to scotland you ! :)

[Guest Salem]

Yeah get back to scotland you ! :)

 

Lol!! But Im an Irishman!! hehe!! oh ok!!

 

:thumbsup:

[Rowan's Light]

There are 2 sets of vaults in Edinburgh one worse than the other. One still contains a Wiccan temple so brace yourself for loose bunnies bouncing everywhere:rabbit:. It was also the place for underground occult worship and has apparently a rather nasty demon in it.

http://www.auldreekietours.com/flashversion.html

 

Haven't been there yet so can't give a real comment on it.

 

The other is part of a bridge which tenements have been built over, This held the gold reserves and was later an underground city pub and brothel what more could you want? I've been down there but it was really busy and the only time I felt something was looking into a room. Some poor girl had been raped and killed there. But I was also not as open as I am now.

http://www.mercattours.com/the-historic-vaults.asp

 

And you must visit Mary Kings Close - again underground but an enchanting place but now commercialised but careful when you get to the bottom of the stairs I nearly got hauled down the next flight last time.

 

And the Mausoleum with it's own active poltergeist - the list goes on:twisted_witch:

 

As an empath I constantly get affected one way or another however I feel I have been given a gift in being able to feel the history good or bad but I have learnt not to go anywhere without my protection( and not the sort you get from the chemist either:lolol:)

[spinney]

One still contains a Wiccan temple so brace yourself for loose bunnies bouncing everywhere

Oh for gawds sake, why????