Map of Witches
The Map of Witches is a new resource from the University of Edinburgh, utilising the extensive data collected in their Survey of Scottish Witchcraft Database. See it here.
It’s a visual and clickable map of over 3000 people accused of witchcraft in Scotland, and is both fascinating and terrible, as this subject always is. My three quines from THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR are included (see Isobell’s entry above) as are a disturbing Witch Pricker’s Journey and various other stories. You can choose to view a modern map or a historical one, the latter suiting it better, I think.
Autumn Beauty
After peering back into the dark like that, I need to look at beauty, so here’s some golden blue autumnal goodness:
The wonderful gold of the harvest.
Pink shimmering rockpools at New Aberdour beach.
A dark cave, blue reflected within.
And the path up to St Drostan’s well, shining in the sunlight:
Newsletter
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My Books
Set in 1st century Scotland, my latest novel, SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD, includes the battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the Caledonian tribes. The book features a neurodivergent main character and some rather complicated romance!
“Ethereal and spellbinding….” Historical Novel Society
See the press release here
Read the article Roman Aberdeenshire features in author’s new book from Grampian Online.
Taking place mainly in a fictional castle, THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR blends an often overlooked period of history, the Scottish witchcraft accusations, in particular the 1597 Aberdeen witchcraft panic, with a love story.
See the press release here
From the Press and Journal: New book by Fraserburgh author highlights horrific extent of witch trials in Scotland
FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE was inspired by the kidnapped children and young people of Aberdeen. The story follows the adventures of Elizabeth Manteith from the castle and her determined efforts to get back home. There’s love. There’s derring-dos on the high seas… And there’s chocolate!
See the publisher’s Press Release here
Review from the Historical Novel Society
how interesting –
Fascinating.
Beautiful pictures indeed Ailish. I’m looking forward to reading how you combine the witchy stuff with romance. Seems to me Edinburgh Uni have done a great job.
They really have. The database was invaluable in my research.
oh my god this is beautiful
I’m glad you like it 🙂
Oh the pictures are sublime!
It was a glorious golden Autumn day!
My favorite time of year!
My sentiments exactly!
I heard they have a better clue of Loch Ness ?
I don’t think so really. It’s still being spotted though 😀
so the legend continues lol!
My critique partner writes about witches and is going to love this post. As always, I love the photos of Scotland.
I’m glad you like them 🙂
Great resource! Thanks for sharing this.
Glad you like 🙂
Lovely photos must visit there one day
It is a pretty amazing beach.
Love those tide pools!
So do I 😀
Killing so called witches was really about men taking over medicine
So many different stories and reasons exist. It’s all horrifying.
My friend, MLRover, sent me your link. So glad she did. My witch stories are for fun, but the story of the witch trials is just plain grim. Not a proud moment in history.
Yet witch accusers and prosecutors thought they were so in the right at the time…
Gorgeous photos! I’m looking forward to the release of your novel.
Thank you so much 🙂
Wow, this is amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Glad you like 🙂
Simply WOW.
🙂
Beautiful.
Such lovely views! Ailish! That resource sounds intriguing and very useful.
It is such a useful resource for research, and interest. I think it also serves as a memorial.
I like the idea of the map serving as a memorial to the victims of religion gone horribly wrong.
Yes, of course! I hadn’t thought of that.
Love the pictures!
Researching is fun. What a great resource for you! Great pictures. I love blue and gold…
They are colours that go so well together, aren’t they?
i agree with you
Thanks for posting this! Useful for so many purposes.
It really is.
Very interesting!!
Wow, that was an interesting link. Thanks for sharing it. I had no idea that we had so much information on people who were accused of witchcraft or that anyone had collected all of it into an online map.
It is a pretty amazing resource!
The photos are beautiful, this post is fascinating, and your book sounds really intriguing. Something I will definitely look into next year. Thanks for sharing this! ❤
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
On my reading list!!!
Thank you!
I love the photos! Checked out the witch map, they don’t go back far enough to list my ancestor Janet Douglas, Lady Glamis, but I’ll keep checking back. I had no idea how detailed the records were!
Wow! How did you find out your ancestor? Or is it well-known family history for you?
I didn’t know until I looked for her on ancestry.com and followed some sources that were uploaded. What’s eerie is there is a painting of her that looks very much like family, there’s a strong resemblance!
This is fascinating! I love the idea, though hate that it’s even a thing because of the history.
Terrible times
The database is interesting, and the photos were also very beautiful. It makes me really want to visit Scotland. Maybe next summer.
I hope you enjoy it when you get here 🙂
wow the pictures areamazing
Thank you 🙂
you are welcome
What a fabulous/bizarre resource, thsnk you for sharing!
I’m glad you like it 🙂