Registration required. As a woman, if you lived in Scotland in the 1500s, there was a very good chance that you, or someone you knew, would be tried as a witch. Witch hunts ripped through the country for over 150 years, with at least 4,000 accused, and with many women's fates sealed by a grizzly execution of strangulation, followed by burning.
Inspired to correct this historic injustice, campaigners and writers Claire Mitchell, KC, and Zoe Venditozzi, have delved deeply into just why the trials exploded in Scotland to such a degree. In order to understand why it happened, they have broken down the entire horrifying process, step-by-step, from identification of individuals, to their accusation, 'pricking', torture, confessions, execution and beyond.
With characteristically sharp wit and a sense of outrage, they attempt to inhabit the minds of the persecutors, often men, revealing the inner workings of exactly why the Patriarchy went to such extraordinary lengths to silence women, and how this legally sanctioned victimisation proliferated in Scotland and around the world.
With testimony from a small army of experts, pen portraits of the women accused, trial transcripts, witness accounts and the documents that set the legal grounds for the hunts, How to Kill A Witch builds to form a rich patchwork of tragic stories, helping us comprehend the underlying reasons for this terrible injustice, and raises the serious question - could it ever happen again? You may find it at the library by clicking here.
WITCHES of SCOTLAND is a campaign dedicated to seeking justice for the nearly 4,000 individuals, predominantly women, who were accused of witchcraft in Scotland between 1563 and 1736.
Founded on International Women’s Day 2020 by advocate Claire Mitchell KC and writer Zoe Venditozzi, the campaign has three primary objectives: securing a legal pardon for those convicted, obtaining a formal apology from the Scottish government, and establishing a national memorial to honour the victims.
In a significant milestone, on International Women’s Day 2022, then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon issued a formal apology, acknowledging the egregious historic injustice suffered by those accused of witchcraft.
Additionally, in February 2025, the WITCHES of SCOTLAND tartan was officially registered. This tartan serves as a living memorial, with its design elements symbolizing various aspects of the witch trials and the campaign’s goals.
Claire Mitchell KC
Claire Mitchell KC is a Scottish advocate specializing in appellate law, with a particular focus on constitutional issues, human rights, and sentencing. She has been involved in significant cases before the Privy Council and Supreme Court, shaping key aspects of Scottish law. She regularly provides legal training and has received recognition for her contributions to legal thought, including a Special Recognition Award at the 2013 Law Awards of Scotland.
Zoe Venditozzi
Zoe Venditozzi is a writer and educator. Born in Lancashire and raised in North East Fife, she studied at the University of Glasgow. Her debut novel, Anywhere’s Better Than Here, was shortlisted for The Guardian’s Not the Booker Prize in 2013. Zoe also teaches creative writing workshops and works as a Support for Learning teacher. She is passionate about uncovering and sharing the stories of those wrongfully accused during Scotland’s witch trials.
This event is brought to you by the New England Witches Guild
Registration is required. There are no seats available but a waiting list is available at https://eplib.libcal.com/event/17506980.