Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 39 on 23/06/2008.

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Christian Shaw and the witches

James Irvine Robertson brings to light the story of a little girl and Scotland's very own witch trials

In 1692 they hanged 19 witches in Salem, United States of America, on the evidence of nine ‘afflicted children.’ Scotland had its own very similar experience a few years later. This time only one child was at the centre of the storm, and she was responsible for the deaths of seven people for witchcraft, but her later life was equally remarkable.

Christian Shaw was born in 1685, the eldest daughter of John Shaw, laird of the small estate of Bargarran in Renfrewshire.

When she was a ‘smart lively girl’ of 11, she caught a housemaid, Catherine Campbell, drinking the household milk without permission and told her mother. “The Devil hurl your soul through hell,” said Catherine.

Soon afterwards Christian began to have fits and strange visions. A change of air brought about an improvement, but when she returned home, the problems returned and her condition became worse. Christian claimed that Catherine and others, mostly those whom she disliked, were torturing her and her body showed the signs of severed pinch marks. She began to spit such things as “unclean hay, wild fowls’ feathers, gravel stones, nut-galls, candle-grease, egg-shells” which she declared had been placed inside her body by her tormentors. She floated round rooms without touching the floor and transported objects. She also engaged in complex theological arguments with the invisible devil, accurately citing biblical texts.

Her father took her to the eminent Dr Matthew Brisbane, a graduate of the University of Utre.....

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By James Irvine Robertson

Section : Scotland History

Page number : 38