Scottish witches to be remembered in Dunfermline ceremony

Around 4,000 people were accused of being in league with the devil and the Creative Coven will read their names out at the event on Tuesday June 4.

The vast majority were women who were tried and executed in the 16th and 17th century for being witches. 

Rowan Morrison, who established the Creative Coven and wrote the book The Witches of Culross, commented: “Our upcoming events at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on Sunday and the National Day of Remembrance Ceremony on June 4 at Dunfermline Abbey will be emotional for everyone who has worked hard to make our visions happen.

“We have created a linen Memorial of Scotland's Witch Persecution that contains almost 4,000 names that will be on display at Edinburgh. It is breathtaking to witness the vast amount of human lives lost during the burning times.”

West Fife witches, along with all other Scottish witches, will be remembered at the ceremony. (Image: The Creative Coven)

West Fife witches will be among those remembered at the event in Dunfermline. 

That will include Lilias Adie. She was accused by her neighbour of bringing her ill-health and of being a witch.

Lilias, an elderly lady who was confused and terrified, confessed to the crime but died in 1704 before her trial ever took place.

She was buried on the shoreline in Torryburn under a stone slab, out of fear that her corpse could be reanimated.

Her last resting spot was disturbed and her skull was removed on the orders of Joseph Neil Paton.

Lilias Adie as she may have appeared in the early 1700s. (Image: Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification, University of Dundee)

Her skull went missing in the 20th century but was photographed prior to this, allowing a facial reconstruction by forensic scientists to take place.

Dunfermline itself did not manage to escape the witch trials. 

The upper end of Townhill Road, the area where witches were executed in the town, was once known as Witch Loan and a street off Bellyeoman Road is named Witchbrae.

The ceremony in the abbey is a collaborative event by Remembering the Accused Witches of Scotland charity and The Creative Coven.

As previously reported in the Press, the coven are also preparing for an event at The Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh to raise funds for a Witches Memorial Grove in the Caledonian Forest. 

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June 4 is the same date that the historic Witchcraft Act of 1563 became active.

Commenting on the Dunfermline event, Rowan added: “They can expect a fitting and emotional National Day of Remembrance ceremony for the 4,000 daughters and sons of Scotland who suffered for the crime of witchcraft, including the simultaneous reading out of all the 4,000 names of those executed by eight name bearers, music, storytelling and poetry.

“We hope to hold an awareness-raising exhibition and workshops in Dunfermline around August to mark World Day Against Witch Hunts, as people are still currently experiencing witch persecution in 41 countries.”