East of Scotland Witch trials: Part 2 - Lauriston Castle Lectures

Name: East of Scotland Witch trials: Part 2 - Lauriston Castle Lectures
Start: 2026-11-17T10:30:00+00:00
End: 2026-11-17T12:00:00+00:00
Location: Lauriston Castle

Schedule

Tue Nov 17 2026 at 10:30 am to 12:00 pm

UTC+00:00

Location

Lauriston Castle | Edinburgh, SC

Tuesday 17 November, 10.30am
East of Scotland Witch trials: Part 2
Following on from last year’s lecture about the East of Scotland Witch trials, join us as we look further into this dark period of Scotland’s history. It is believed that over 4,000 people were accused of witchcraft in Scotland, one of the highest rates throughout Europe. How could this be? In order to answer this question, we will look at the issues surrounding gender inequality and the religious, political and economic conditions in Scotland at this time.
We will also discuss more of the stories of women who were treated with unimaginable brutality and cruelty. Their individual stories deserve to be heard after approximately 300 years! Linda McDonald is a former teacher and a member of Edinburgh Living History, based in Lauriston Castle. She is also a tour guide in Lauriston Castle. She has an interest in researching women’s history and loves to share her findings with others! Linda is also an award-winning volunteer and supports Museums and Galleries all over the service.