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Last Witch Trial Remembrance Day
“It is a sad thing to see so many poor creatures die upon such vain imaginations.”
~ George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh (1636–1691), Laws and Customs of Scotland in Matters Criminal, 1678
On March 9th, 1944, Scottish medium Helen Duncan became the last person in Britain to be imprisoned under the Witchcraft Act of 1735—a law that had been in place for over two centuries. Enacted during the reign of King George II, this act marked a shift in British legal history, moving away from the brutal witch trials of the past. Rather than condemning individuals as witches, it classified claims of witchcraft as fraudulent, targeting fortune-tellers, mediums, and those who pretended to possess supernatural powers.
Duncan’s case gained notoriety when, during a séance, she allegedly revealed classified wartime information—the sinking of HMS Barham—before the British government had officially announced it. Concerned about national security, authorities charged her with fraudulent witchcraft, leading to a nine-month prison sentence. This unusual wartime prosecution was the last major use of Britain’s witchcraft laws before they were repealed in 1951, bringing an end to centuries of legal action against supposed witches.
To commemorate those who suffered under Scotland’s witchcraft laws from 1563 to 1736, a special tartan has been designed as a ‘living memorial.’ The black and grey hues symbolize both the darkness of that era and the ashes of those who perished unjustly. Red and pink threads represent the legal tapes used to bind official documents, both then and now. The thread count itself holds historical significance, incorporating the years 1563 and 1736—calculated as 15 (1+5+6+3) and 17 (1+7+3+6)—which appear in black and grey around a central white check of three threads. These three threads symbolize the core goals of the Witches of Scotland organization: securing a pardon, an apology, and memorials. Additionally, a large black section of 173 threads represents the 173 years of persecution, while the red and pink sections are repeated three times, echoing the organization’s three main objectives. 🖤 ❤️ 🤍 💗 🎗️
Scotland has a long and tragic history of witchcraft accusations, with the period between the 16th and 18th centuries witnessing some of the most intense witch hunts in Europe. Unlike in England, where accusations were often handled by local courts, Scotland’s witch trials were overseen by both the church and the state, leading to harsher punishments. The Scottish Witchcraft Act of 1563 made witchcraft a capital crime, resulting in thousands of people—mostly women—being accused, tortured, and executed. These accusations were often based on superstition, social tensions, and political manipulation, as well as deep-seated fears of the supernatural.
One of the most infamous periods of persecution occurred during the reign of King James VI, who was personally fascinated with witchcraft. His book, Daemonologie (1597), justified the hunting and execution of witches, reinforcing the belief that they were in league with the Devil. The North Berwick witch trials (1590–1592) marked one of Scotland’s first major witch hunts, with over 70 people accused of plotting against the king. The accused, including Agnes Sampson and John Fian, were brutally tortured into confessing fantastical crimes, such as summoning storms to sink the king’s ship. These trials set a precedent, leading to waves of witch hunts over the next century.
Most alleged witches were poor, elderly women who lived on the margins of society, though men were also accused. They were blamed for misfortunes such as failed harvests, plagues, or sudden deaths, and their trials relied on dubious evidence, including the infamous “witch pricking” method, where examiners searched for a devil’s mark—an insensitive patch of skin said to be proof of a witch’s pact with Satan. Those convicted were usually strangled and then burned at the stake, their ashes scattered to ensure no trace remained. The last person legally executed for witchcraft in Scotland was Janet Horne in 1727.
Today, there is growing recognition of this dark chapter in Scottish history. The Witches’ Well in Edinburgh, near the site where many executions took place, serves as a memorial to the thousands who suffered. In 2022, the Scottish government issued a formal apology for the persecution of those accused of witchcraft. Modern scholars continue to explore the witch trials, shedding light on the complex social, religious, and political forces that fueled this tragic period.
For more on the organization dedicated to recognizing this history and who commissioned this tartan by Clare I Campbell, click the image!