Witches of Scotland
claire mitchell and zoe venditozzi 84 episodes Sep 10, 2026
A podcast that follows the Witches of Scotland campaign to bring justice to those accused, convicted and executed as witches under the Witchcraft Act 1563.
Episodes
EPISODE 87 PROFESSOR MARION GIBSON and "THRICE"
Zoe and Claire speak to the fabulous Marion Gibson about her Sunday Times Best Selling Book "Witchland" and to Al Seed and Jude Milligan about their witch/macbeth related play "Thrice" . Racoons in baby rucksacks on planes included
EPISODE 86 PROF MCGLYNN AND DR.DORKA TAMAS
WE speak to Professor Claire McGlynn about Patriarchy and Porn - Shei is a leading expert on violence against women and girls and gender equality. Her particular expertise lies in the legal regulation of pornography, image-based sexual abuse (formerly known as 'revenge porn'), cyberflashing and all forms of online abuse. She advise governments, civil society and social media platforms regarding on
EPISODE 85 VICTORIA BRADBURY A SALEM DESCENDANT AND ARTIST
Victoria Bradbury speaks to us about her new show about witches and her own personal connection to the witch trials in Salem Blue Boar VR project: https://blurringartandlife.com/vb/blueboarvr.htmlBlue Boar installation project: https://blurringartandlife.com/vb/blueboar.htmlColonial Vegetables Sewn Sampler: https://blurringartandlife.com/vb/colonialvegetables.htmlS-WITCH project: https://blurringa
EPISODE 84 WITCHES OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA
If you thought witchcraft accusations were a thing of the past, think again : Sarah Newey, a journalist based in Bangkok covering global health security across the Asia Pacific, predominantly but not solely for the Telegraph, investigated the witch trials of Papua New Guinea . Her website is here https://sneweyy.squarespace.com/.This is an uncomfortable but necessary reminder that witchcraft accu
EP 83 BONUS RANT
This bonus ep covers a range of topics related to sexual violence, misogyny, and women's rights. It delves into the normalisation of violence, legal definitions, and the ongoing erosion of women's healthcare. The discussion also calls for the criminalisation of misogyny in Scotland and the importance and necessity of resistance and community building. The chat ends with the suggestion that Raven I
EPISODE 82 ANNA CAIG - THE WISE WITCH OF ORKNEY
Zoe and Claire chat to Anna Caig, about Anna's new book, 'The Wise Witch of Orkney,' Set in 1593. it tells the story of Elspeth Balfour, a wise woman from Orkney.
EPISODE 81 BONUS EP ZOE AND CLAIRE @ MASON AND FIFTH LONDON
Zoe and Claire present a review of the campaign so far to a London audience - for those with us from the start it's a meandering wander from then till now, for those just joining the pocast it's a catch up of where we've come from and where we are going #quarrelsomedames #remebranceisresistance
EPISODE 80 DR. MORETTI ON & GEMMA CLARK
Zoe and Claire speak to Dr. Debora Moretti about ritual magic vs. folk magic and most importantly for those taking down their decorations on the 5th of January , The Befana tradition in Italy. On women's rights issues, we speak to Gemma Clark abortion rights activism in the UK and why we should make sure our healthcare rights are protected.
EPISODE 79 THAT GLASGOW WITCH and JUANO DIAZ
Zoe and Claire wish to offer a Solstice offering to all those who have stuck by us with this podcast through a VERY patchy period and we wanted to give u THE BEST festive guests we could think of to finish this year! First is @thatglasgowwitch whose quiet, authentic witch work has taken the world by storm and the hugely talented artist and author Juano Diaz whose excellent book, Slumboy tells of h
EPISODE 78 HOPE REESE / STEVEN VEERAPEN
You’ll have seen memes saying “I made dinners for men I should have poisoned” , well Zoe and Claire speak to Hope Reese about her book “The Women Are Not Fine: The Dark History of a Poisonous Sisterhood. Hope tells the story of about a woman who lived at the turn of the 20th century, in the village of Nagyrév, Hungary, midwife Zsuzsanna Fazekas. She was more than a caretaker - she was a confidante
EPISODE 77 THE WITCHES OF GHANA
Listen to Zoe and Claire to talk to Professor John Azumah and extraordinary photographer Claire Thomas about the women suffering modern day witch accusations, the witch camps in which they are forced to stay for safety and what we can do to help them.
EPISODE 76 DR MARGARET BENNETT
EPISODE 76 DR MARGARET BENNETT Zoe in conversation with DR MARGARET BENNETT “is a Scottish writer, folklorist, ethnologist, broadcaster, and singer. Her main interests lies in the field of traditional Scottish folk culture and cultural identity of the Scots in Scotland and abroad. The late Hamish Henderson, internationally distinguished poet and folklorist, said about her: Margaret embodies the sp
THE WOS TARTAN EPISODE
CLARE CAMPBELL OF PRICKLY THISTLE talks to Zoe and Claire about the tartan and about how we are releasing the WOS Tartan, clans and much more
WITCHES OF FRANCE - ANNETTE YOUNG on GISÈLE PELICOT
Zoe and Claire discuss the witch trials in France and speak to ANNETTE YOUNG, journalist and presenter of the 51% - a feminist French TV show about Gislèle Pelicot. WARNING The discussion includes details of sexual assault.
THE CONNECTICUT WITCH TRIALS
Zoe and Claire talk to the folks at the Connecticut Witch Trials and find out all about their campaign. They also talk about the Afghanistan Government decision to remove education from women, the internets reaction to a woman celebrating her PHD (Congratulations Dr. Ally Louks) and also talk about middle class women of a certain age.... Those brave listeners who are able to make it to the end of
THE QUARRELSOME DAMES RETURN
Zoe and Claire come clean about why there has been no podcast in a while and what they have been up to... SPOILER : They've written a book!
Their publishers say
"HOW TO KILL A WITCH is a compelling and detailed investigation into the historic persecution of women as witches by Claire Mitchell and Zoe Venditozzi, founders of the world-famous Witches of Scotland campaign.
With testimony from a s
EPISODE 71 - THE SURVEY OF SCOTTISH WITCHCRAFT WITH PROG GOODARE, EUAN MCANDREW & RUBY IMRIE
Zoe & Claire speak to Prof Goodare about how the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft came about and Euan McAndrew, Wikimedian in residence at Edinburgh University explains bringing the work to a digital audience along with student Ruby Imrie PLUS BONUS APOLOGY EPISODE with Kristof Smeyers about a topic close to Zoe & Claire’s hearts….
EPISODE 70 - PROFESSOR GIBSON - WITCHCRAFT - A HISTORY IN 13 TRIALS
Zoe & Claire speak to the endlessly fascinating Professor Marion Gibson about her new book which spans 700 years of witchcraft trials - from the trial which probably started the European witch hunt to the 21st century allegations of “witch-hunting” of Donald Trump by Stormy Daniels *may include raccoons
EPISODE 69 STACEY THOMAS “The Revels”
Zoe and Claire speak to author Stacey Thomas about her debut novel “The Revels” - all about witchcraft accusations .
Stacey Thomas is a contributor to Bad Form Review. She is an alumna of the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course where she was awarded the Clare Mackintosh Scholarship for Black Writers. In 2021, she was announced as one of the three winners of HarperCollins’s inaugural Killin
EPISODE 68 - MODERN WITCHCRAFT ACCUSATIONS AND TRIALS WITH LEO IGWE : WARNING DISCUSSES VIOLENCE
Zoe and Claire catch up with Leo Igwe to find out about witchcraft accusations in the present day : what are people being accused of, by whom and why? NB The Aye Write event has now already taken place - sorry to those who missed it! WARNING - Discusses violence against people accused of witchcraft
EPISODE 67 DR ANDREW SNEDDON WITCHES OF IRELAND
Zoe and Claire talk to the hugely knowledgeable Dr. Andrew Sneddon, historian of medicine, religion and the supernatural, especially ghosts, magic and witchcraft. Senior Lecturer in History @ Ulster University.
EPISODE 66 LORRAINE MURRAY - THE WITCHES OF INVERCLYDE
Zoe and Claire speak to Lorraine Murray Archivist at The Watt Institution in Greenock and at The Glasgow Academy in Kelvinbridge.
She is an Art and Architectural Historian who has been researching the woman and men accused of witchcraft in Inverclyde
EPISODE 65 - ANYA BERGMAN - WITCHES OF VARDO
Zoe and Claire speak to author Anya Bergman about her story of the women killed as witches in Vardø. We talk magic, menopause, weather witches and why a Scotsman might have been to blame. Raccoons included
EPISODE 64 - DOCTOR MARTHA MCGILL - WITCH HUNT 1649
Zoe and Claire speak to Dr. Martha McGill about her game, developed by a team at the University of Warwick, to explore and understand the witch hunt phenomena - based on events in Haddington, Zoe & Claire consider the history of Haddington accused and one of the accusers who owned an enchanted pear. Raccoon chat included
EPISODE 63 - JUDITH LANGLANDS SCOTT - CONFESSIONS AND LIES - WITCHES OF FORFAR PART TWO
Zoe and Claire speak to the fabulously knowledgeable Judith Langlands Scott about witch confessions in Forfar, John Kincaid’s “expert” expenses and find out where following the money trail gets you on the hunt to uncover the details of those killed as witches
EPISODE 62 ASSISTANT PROFESSOR JEM BLOOMFIELD
Zoe and Claire speak to Assistant Professor Jem Bloomfield to explore "witches" in crime fiction of the mid-twentieth century. His work explores the intellectual and social worlds of these books, relating them to contemporary concerns around gender, art, magic and religion.
EPISODE 61 - ANNA DAY - STATUES AND MEMORIALISATION
Zoe and Claire talk to Anna Day, Cultural Public Programme Manager for Perth about statues in memory of women accused of witchcraft, why memorials are important and Anna shares her own family story of remembering those who died in WWII.
EPISODE 60 - JENNI FAGAN “HEX” RECORDED LIVE AT AYE WRITE, GLASGOW
Zoe and Claire interview the brilliant author Jenni Fagan about her new book “Hex” : “
A witch will die here in the morning. It is the 4th of December 1591. On this, the last night of her life in a prison cell several floors below Edinburgh’s High Street, convicted witch Geillis Duncan receives a mysterious visitor – Iris, who says she comes from a future where women are still killed for who they
EPISODE 59 - EMERITUS PROFESSOR MALCOLM GASKILL
Zoe and Claire speak to Professor Malcolm Gaskill about his study of witchcraft accusations in England - from the 17th century jjury trials to the 20th century trial of “Hellish Nell”
EPISODE 58 - DAVID RUDOLPH - AMERICAN INJUSTICE
Zoe and Claire talk to the criminal defence lawyer - made famous by #thestaircase documentary on Netflix about american injustice - the Salem witch trials, forced confessions, pardons and why they are important and much more! also : cake references
EPISODE 57 - DR JAN MACHIELSEN CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
Join Zoe & Claire speaking to Dr Jan Machielsen who studies and teaches about witchcraft accusations and trials - we ask what an apology really means and why each country builds different narratives around the witchcraft trials
EPISODE 56 - DR LOUISE YEOMAN - HISTORIAN, AUTHOR, PRESENTER
Zoe and Claire speak to Dr. Louise Yeoman about her amazing work on the scottish witchcraft trials - from The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft to her discovery of Lilias Adie’s “grave” with lots more chat about Satan’s world uncovered, service magicians, John Knox and enchanted sticks
EPISODE 55 DR. DANNY BUCK - MATTHEW HOPKINS THE WITCHFINDER GENERAL
Zoe and Claire speak to Dr. Danny Buck about witch trials in the south of England - we talk about religious in fighting, rowdy Quakers and the self proclaimed Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins
EPISODE 54 THE APOLOGY - INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2022
Zoe and Claire go to Edinburgh for IWD2022 and listen to the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon grant an official apology to all those 4000 or so people, mostly women, who were accused of witchcraft - the first time in Scottish history that an apology had been tendered to all those who were accused
EPISODE 53 - PARDONING THE WITCHES OF CATALONIA
Zoe & Claire speak to Caterina Úbeda of Sapiens Magazine about their successful campaign to have the Witches of Catalonia pardoned. We also speak to Laura Graham, artist about her Exonerate Agnes event which takes place on International Women’s Day 2022 . Ravens and Raccoons also included
EPIOSODE 52 DR MIRANDA CORCORAN
Zoe & Claire speak to Dr Miranda Corcoran - author of Teen Witches Witchcraft and Adolescence in American Popular Culture - about the use of the witch icon in popular culture, the rise in modern day witches, we talk about witches of our youth Tabitha, Sabrina, Endora and Buffy - we ask why do young women need witch role models?
EPISODE 51 PROFESSOR MARION GIBSON
Zoe and Claire speak to the wonderfully knowledgeable Professor Marion Gibson (@witchesetc on twitter) about confessions, dooking witches, and, when all is said and done what accusations of witchcraft are really all about. Also, cake and ravens
EPISODE 50 DR CIARAN JONES HISTORIAN
Zoe & Claire talk to Dr Ciaran Jones who is a historian of religion and witchcraft in early modern Scotland, and he recently completed his PhD in Scottish History at the University of Edinburgh in 2020. His thesis explored the relationship between Calvinism and witchcraft trials, and it focussed on the religious and spiritual aspects of some accused witches' confessions. Ciaran's research has
EPISODE 49 PROFESSOR OWEN DAVIES - HISTORIAN & PRESIDENT OF THE FOLKLORE SOCIETY
Owen Davies is a British historian who specialises in the history of magic, witchcraft, ghosts, and popular medicine. He is currently Professor in History at the University of Hertfordshire and has been described as Britain's "foremost academic expert on the history of magic. Zoe & Claire speak to him about accidental witches, conflict witches, witch bottles and myth busting witch folklore
EPISODE 48 PROFESSOR NICOLA RING - NURSES AND MIDWIVES
Zoe & Claire talk to Professor Nicola Ring about her research funded by the Royal College of Nursing Foundation into the stories of Scotland’s early nurses and midwives accused of witchcraft for helping others. We also hear the stories of women accused as witches in Penicuik
EPISODE 47 MATTHEW BRIDSON - THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES
Zoe and Claire talk to Matthew Bridson who is a postgraduate scholar of Heritage Studies. He recently submitted his Masters thesis on the topic of the group referred to as “The Lancashire Witches”. We talked to him about the Lancashire Witch Trials and Matthew’s work on “witch signs” . We talk about the Witches Walk in Lancashire and whether we should be thinking more about how we engage with plac
EPISODE 46 - WITCHES OF ORKNEY
Zoe and Claire speak to Helen Woodsford Dean and Ragnhild Ljosland, the two women who were the inspiration and driving force in getting the memorial to those killed as witches in Orkney erected - we talk witches, collecting tears, pagans, whether we can change history and reveal the secret depths of the Orkney memorial
EPISODE 45 ASH WILLIAM MILLS ON ISOBEL GOWDIE
Zoe and Claire talk to Ash William Mills on his book - The Black Book of Isobel Gowdie - we discuss what was known of her, whether she was a “wise woman” and the cauldron of cultures that made up the various folklore and spells that were used by charmers and healers
EPISODE 44 - KAYLA KANDZORRA of WITCH STORY PODCAST
Join Zoe and Claire as they speak to Kayla Kandzorra about the bi-weekly podcast where hosts Stephanie and Kayla discuss trials and tales of witches throughout the centuries. Each episode sheds light on a new story bringing attention to the thousands of people who have been persecuted as witches
EPISODE 43 C J COOKE THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES
Zoe and Claire talk to author Carolyn Jess Cooke about her new book The Lighthouse Witches and her inspiration from the scottish witchcraft trials. We talk themes of trauma, loss, and justice
EPISODE 42 JENNIFER WIGHT THE ADDERS DEN
Zoe & Claire talk to Jennifer Wight who has researched scottish folk history (more can be found on her website The Adder’s Deb) and is part of Scottish Cunning Ways (FB) . What is the difference between cunning folk and witches? were those executed as witches pagans? Listen as Jennifer helps us separate fact from fiction!
EPISODE 41 - WITCHES OF SCOTLAND SYMPOSIUM: WITCH-HUNTING WOMEN
Join Zoe & Claire as they learn from the experts as to how they research the history of those accused of witchcraft : Judith Gorman, Helen Upfield, Mary Craig, Norah Carlin and Catherine McPhee : with a reading from Elizabeth Lee’s new book Cunning Women and an exclusive performance from Heal and Harrow
EPISODE 40 LAURA GRAHAM ARTIST
Join Zoe and Claire speaking to Laura Graham, lawyer and artist. Laura’s work has been particularly informed by the Scottish Witch Trials - we discuss the patriarchy, what’s in a name, her work “Soul Murder” and the “dittays” against women accused as witches
EPISODE 39 DR.ALLAN KENNEDY
Zoe and Claire learn more about the criminality involved in witchcraft - we hear about how a trial of an alleged witch was conducted and the sentences imposed - we talk more about quarrelsome dames and how the transgressing of “feminine norms” of the time was more likely to find someone in the dock in Scotland than being a “charmer”.
EPISODE 38 AMY KINGSMILL - PERFORMANCE ARTIST
Zoe and Claire talk to performance artist Amy Kingsmill about her year long project- Light Source - finding out about the witches of England - and we discuss why the current zeitgeist seems perfect for memorialising those killed as witches. www.light-source.co.uk
EPISODE 37 MARY W CRAIG HISTORIAN & AUTHOR
Zoe & Claire speak to historian and author Mary W Craig about the 4 Proofs, Quarrelsome Dames and the woman accused of witchcraft in Mary’s forthcoming book.
EPISODE 36 EMMA COWAN AND NORAH CARLIN - THE WITCHES OF CORSTORPHINE
Join Zoe and Claire as we talk to Emma Cowan and Norah Carlin - Norah Carlin is an historian who studied the Witch Trials, and was motivated to learn about those people killed as witches where she grew up : 20 years later Emma, as part of her own researches and found Norah's work and was inspired to campaign - with great success - to have the names of those killed as witches in Corstorphine pro
EPISODE 35 LIANE MAITLAND PSYCHOTHERAPIST
This week Zoe and Claire talk to Liane Maitland, Psychotherapist about considering the witch trials through her professional lens : We talk about the legacy of trauma the witchcraft trials will have left on the country and we consider the trauma likely to have been suffered by James VI, and we discuss how that trauma may have impacted Scotland's witch trial history. Liane's website can be found
EPISODE 34 ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR LOUISE NYHOLM KALLESTRUP - James VI and the Danish Witch Trials
Zoe and Claire speak to Associate Professor Louise Nyholm Kallestrup about the crossover (literally across the sea) with the Danish and Scottish witch trials - we name Danish women and men killed as witches and we once again discuss the need for a Scottish Museum of Witch Hunts to memorialise those caught up in the terrible miscarriages of justice and paid with their lives
EPISODE 33 LAURIE GOODLAD - THE WITCHES OF SHETLAND
Zoe and Claire talk to Laurie Goodlad - who presents “Shetland with Laurie” podcast / insta pages - she is a podcaster, tour guide, historian and museum curator who was motivated to research the Witches of Shetland - listen as she names all the people she has found in local records, and as we discuss the controversial cremains of women accused as witches which can be seen in the Scalloway Museum.
ANNA BJÖRG - THE ICELAND MUSUEM OF WITCHCRAFT AND SORCERY
Zoe and Claire discuss Tituba of Salem in more detail and then speak to Anna BJÖRG, curator of the Musuem of Witchcraft and Sorcery in Iceland - we find out why it was men that were accused, discuss the modern folklore on elves and we ask - should our national monument be a scottish Musuem of Witchcraft Trials?
EPISODE 31 - RACHEL CHRIST OF THE SALEM WITCH MUSEUM
Zoe and Claire talk to Rachel Christ about the Salem Witch Trials - the accused - the “spectral evidence” used to convict - the pardons granted for all but one of those convicted- the memorial garden - and the “final pardon” - the 21st century legislature to pardon the last person convicted of witchcraft.
EPISODE 30 JUDITH LANGLANDS-SCOTT - THE WITCHES OF FORFAR
Zoe and Claire talk about the term witch in politics and beyond, and speak to Judith Langlands-Scott, the brilliant independent scholar who has spent years researching the stories of those accused as witches in Forfar - and we end on another cliffhanger! (And another sterling “ending”)
EPISODE 29 LEO IGWE - ADVOCACY FOR ALLEGED WITCHES 2020 - 2030 CAMPAIGN
Zoe and Claire talk to Leo Igwe - Nigerian human rights activist and award winning humanist - about his campaign to stop witchcraft allegations in the modern day - and how he wants us all to support those who suffer from being accused of witchcraft in the modern day
EPISODE 28 - SONIA CASAS - EDITOR IN CHIEF OF SAPIENS MAGAZINE #WOMENNOTWITCHES
Zoe and Claire talk about the positive Scottish Government response to the petition, the extraordinary decision of the National Trust for Scotland to promote a holiday let by naming the apartment after man who was involved in witchcraft trials, and speak in depth with Sonia Casas, Editor in Chief of Sapiens magazine about their campaign “they were women not witches” in part inspired by the Witches
EPISODE 27 HEATHER UPFIELD OF KILWINNING HERITAGE
This week Zoe and Claire talk petitions, widdershins, and hear from the inspiring Heather Upfield - writer of The 5 women of Kilwinning (about 5 women killed as witches) and campaigner to have the names and stories remembered .. find out about her great success... it may inspire you too!
EPISODE 26 - INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY LIVE EVENT WITH SARA SHERIDAN
IWD2021 marks a year of work on the the #womennotwitches Witches of Scotland campaign. Zoe and Claire talk to their very first guest, Sara Sheridan (EP 2) about why we need to memorialise women and why we need to remember the history of women and men who were killed as witches in Scotland.
EPISODE 25 - THE DEVIL’S MARK
This week Zoe and Claire talk to Hazel Meldrum about her mum, Jannette Archibald and her play “The Devil’s Mark”.Hazel and her sister Heather Ann have published her play and you can buy it at heatheranndowd.shop . We also talk about the Wall Street Journal, (?!? ) , Jeannie Dark, and another campaign to remember women killed as witches in Catalonia
EPISODE 24 - ANDREW TICKELL -MISCARRIAGES OF JUSTICE
Zoe and Claire speak with Andrew Tickell about what it means to have suffered a miscarriage of justice and whether we should now pardon those convicted as witches .. with a little Oscar Slater and Netflix chat thrown in for good measure!
EP 23 DOUG SPEIRS ON LILAS ADIE
Zoe and Claire discuss the third and final part of Doug Speirs story bringing the Lilas Adie story up to the 21st Century
EPISODE 22 DOUG SPEIRS, ARCHAEOLOGIST ON LILAS ADIE
This week Doug takes Zoe and Claire into the detail of Lilias Adie’s trial - and tells us the detail of her confessions and the records written clearly some time after the accusations - were they written as a cover up? Did the Minister ask for these papers when he moved parish because he knew the case was problematic and wanted to cover his tracks?
EPISODE 21 - DOUGLAS SPEIRS - ARCHAEOLOGIST
Zoe and Claire speak to Douglas Speirs about Lilias Adie - Scotland’s most famous woman who was accused of witchcraft - Who was she? What was her life like? Why was she accused of witchcraft? The first of 3 parts where we examine in detail Lilias life, death and beyond.
EPISODE 20 - EXCLUSIVE - JOIN THE PETITION TO PARDON, APOLOGISE AND OBTAIN A NATIONAL MONUMENT
After months of building discussion and debate on the topic Zoe and Claire read out the public petition which is now live on the website www.parliament.scot/getting involved/petitions/witchesofscotland We also hear the poetic call for justice in the poem “In Memoriam” written by the very talented @Lenniesaurus
EPISODE 19 HEAL & HARROW
Zoe and Claire discuss the fate of 3 women, one of whom was alleged to have sought help to kill her former husbands ... We also speak to Rachel and Lauren from Heal & Harrow and discuss their future project to memorialise the people of Scotland killed as witches - to record both folklore and fact - and our first ever scoop as they reveal they writer who will be working on the project!
EPISODE 18 IAIN MC SPORRAN QC ON ROBERT BURNS DEPICTION OF WITCHES IN TAM O SHANTER
Join us as Iain Mc Sporran QC tells us about the story of Robert Burns and arguably his most famous poem, Tam o Shanter and his depiction of the dancing witches that Tam interrupts on his way home from the pub... we also talk about addressing past wrongs, and why looking at history honestly means recording the truth of the past.
EPISODE 17 - KAREN STRANG ARTIST
Zoe and Claire name women killed as witches and consider why it is that so many of us believe that had we lived during the period of the Witchcraft Act we too would be accused of being a witch - We also talk with artist Karen Strang (www.karenstrang.co.uk ) who has been working on art inspired by the women killed as witches for decades.
EPISODE 16 SOCIAL MEDIA CATCH UP
This week we name those accused and executed as witches, and catch up on social media discussions including discussing the new cultural project, inspired but the campaign for a pardon and monument - we talk about the devil’s mark and why it was important for those confessing to witchcraft to renounce their baptism and we are played out by bagpipe music especially commissioned for women executed as
EPISODE 15 - NEW YEARS MINI EPISODE
Zoe and Claire remember those killed as witches, talk about Mrs Mennie of Newfoundland and her inspiring letter and discuss plans for 2021......
EPISODE 14 - A MINI XMAS EPISODE WITH ZOE AND CLAIRE
After naming women convicted as witches Zoe and Claire (inadvertently!) talk about Angels from the Bible and we hear from Herr Hegeler in Germany where a Bishop has apologised for the role of the church in witchcraft trials and has promised to put up a plaque in memorial to those killed.
EPISODE 13 - PETER ROSS TOMB WITH A VIEW AND COUNCILLOR KATE STEWART
A discussion with author of Tomb with a View , Peter Ross on the the need to memorialise the dead and the work of Councillor Kate Stewart, a founding member of RAWS (Remembering the Accused Witches of Scotland)
CATHERINE MACPHEE ON SYKE, HARTMUT HEGELER ON GERMANY ALEXANDRA MAHER ON “THE CUNNING”
We learn about a woman tortured as a witch in Skye, of the work of Anton Praetorious a pastor who condemned the witch trials in Germany when they took place and his modern day successor Hartmut Hegeler who seeks pardons and memorials for European witches. We also hear from Alexandra Maher who is making a short film inspired by the story of Scotland’s last witch, Janet Horne and her daughter.
EPISODE 11 PAULA KEHOE AND THE WITCHES OF IRELAND
Paula Kehoe and Ashlene Aylward are currently co-writing and producing a tv show about the women accused of witchcraft in Ireland - we hear about these women and why there were so few accused of witchcraft in Ireland when compared with Scotland
EPISODE 10 - CAREN THOMPSON, ARTIST AND CREATOR OF THE MEDICINE SPOON MEMORIAL PROJECT.
In this episode we talk about the work of artist Caren Thompson who is doing a project which memorialises the people executed as witches in Scotland - You can see her work on insta as the Medicine Spoon Memorial, She is part of the SILVER SPOON COLLECTIVE and you can find our more about her work here website www.madeonthemoors.co.uk you can see how to get involved in the project - you can also s
JULIA CAMPANELLI -THE PAISLEY WITCH TRIALS
Find out about the women accused as witches in the Paisley Witch Trials from the award winning screenwriter, director actor and producer Julia Campanelli. She names this women and men killed as witches and she tells us why she became so fascinated with the story. She also discusses why she believes that the history of witchcraft is linked with the transatlantic slave trade. Also find out why she m
EPISODE 8 PARDONS AND STATUES
This week Zoe and Claire discuss women executed as witches - including 10 women executed as #witches in Dumfries, the 81 Prestonpans witches, and the extraordinary pardon granted to them by their local Burgh. We also discuss statues to women - in light of the recent controversy over the memorial to Mary Wollstonecraft - and 18th century writer and philosopher who wrote about the rights of women.
