In the 17th century, Lanarkshire was swept up in Scotland’s deadly witch hunts. Women from Lanark, Hamilton and surrounding villages were accused of consorting with the Devil, blighting crops, and cursing neighbours. Many were imprisoned, tortured, and executed based on little more than suspicion or local grudges. Records show Lanarkshire courts were active participants in this grim chapter, […]
Tag: witches
Scotland’s First Witch Trials
In 1590, over 70 individuals, primarily women, in North Berwick were accused of witchcraft, allegedly in league with the devil and plotting against King James VI. This led to notorious trials, torture for confessions, and executions, igniting a century of witch persecution throughout Scotland, fueled by James’s writings on witchcraft.


