Names of Witches from Scotland 1658 added to Ancestry
Ancestry have added details of those individuals named as witches in 1658 to its collection of records, just in time for Halloween.
Name of Witches, Scotland 1658
As explained on the Ancestry website:
“The passing of the Scottish Witchcraft Act in 1563 made witchcraft, or consulting with witches, capital crimes in Scotland. It is estimated that between three and five thousand women were publicly accused of being witches in 16th and 17th century Scotland, a much higher number than neighbouring England. Some men were also accused of witchcraft during this period, however, the number of women persecuted was far larger.
The outbreak of witch-hunting in the years 1658-1662, the period in which this list of names was created, is generally agreed to represent the high water mark of Scottish persecution.
Within this collection, you will be able to find details of the accused’s name and resident town.”