10th Anniversary of Barons' Courts Witches' Pardon in Prestonpans

81 Witches Remembered: Sunday November 2nd

It's a decade now since Scotland's last meeting of any Baronial Court took place. It did so in Prestonpans and the stocks used that day for punishment stand outside the door of The Prestoungrange Gothenburg.

Each year at Hallowe'en the fate of the 81 known people put to death hereabouts is remembered with horror. Their names are inscribed on the wall in the south garden at The Gothenburg amidst a fine mural painted by Andrew Crummy.





Ros Parkyn reported:

'The commemoration saw contributions from the Prestoungrange Players and visitors and Players alike stayed on afterwards in the Gothenburg to listen to Alan Hunter and his Barragadgies folk group. Mary Martin was Guest of Honour.

'The assembly was in The Lord Mayor's Lounge where Gareth Bryn-Jones gave the background to the Witch trials. He then read part of John Lindsay's poem 'Red Lambent Flame' with the remaining verses being sung by Coreen Scott to her own arrangement.

'Caroline Tait and Roger Knox performed a short extract from a drama relating to the 'walking' of presumed witches and its use to help extract confession.

'The group then made their way into the courtyard and laid herbs provided by Gillian Hart at the memorial.'