A History of Witchcraft in Scotland: From Holyrood Palace to Edinburgh Castle

This walking tour brings together centuries of history and folklore by telling the sad stories of thousands of innocent women who were persecuted during the Scottish witchcraft panics. It focuses on a public hysteria about witchcraft, and the tortures and trials that came with it – especially during the reign of King James VI of Scotland – but real women are at the centre of the tale, as is what life would have been like here back in the 1500s and 1600s. But we’ll hear about women who were called witches later too, all the way through to the 1900s. Our journey begins outside Holyrood Palace, the home of Scottish royalty, and from there we’ll work our way up the famous Royal Mile and weave through the Old Town’s alleyways and closes until we are in the shadows of Edinburgh Castle. The subject matter of this tour may be dark, but it is important that this particular era in history is remembered. The line between fact and fiction is often blurred when you discuss witches and witchcraft, but by staying focused on real history, real women and the impact of witch panics on Scotland, I hope this tour leaves you with a much clearer understanding of this important chapter in the country’s history.

Price: £7.99 from VoiceMap