HALLOWE'EN is almost upon us, and may of you will be dressing up as witches to go to parties or scare the children
But some may not be familiar with the real witchcraft story woven into the history of Paisley.
In 1696 the town had a famous witch trial based on the accusations of 11-year-old Christian Shaw, the daughter of the Laird of Bargarran.
She claimed s
he had been possessed, and apparently brought up bones, pins and other small items.
She also blamed Katherine Campbell, whom he had argued with, and six others, of causing her to float through the air.
The alleged Paisley witches were ordinary countrymen and women who used herbal remedies and forecast the weather by studying natural phenomena like the flight patterns of birds and the behaviour of cattle and sheep.
Nowadays, Christian, may have been diagnosed with the attention-seeking Munchausen's Syndrome.
They were found guilty and one committed suicide in prison. The other six were strangled and burnt on the Gallowgreen in the west end and has their remains burnt on June 10, 1697.
Among them was 11-year-old John Lindsay and 14-year-old brother James, who clutched hands as they were strangled.
Katherine Campbell was dragged struggling and screaming to the stake, where she called down the wrath of God and the Devil on her accusers.
Another victim, Margaret Fulton, was said to have gone insane with terror, and spoke cheerfully about visits to Elfland and the Abode of the Fairies on the backs of magical horses.
And alleged witch Margaret Lang is said to have admitted consorting with the devil in the Renfrewshire countryside, but added she had renounced sin and become reconciled to God.
And Agnes Naysmith, laid a curse on all those present and their descendants.
For many years afterwards, every tragedy in the town – including the Paisley Canal disaster in 1811 which claimed 85 lives – was attributed to what many Buddies described as "the witches' curse".
The victims' remains were buried at a crossroads and a horseshoe set in
the road.
This was to prevent their spirits from returning to trouble the living.
The horseshoe can still be seen where Maxwellton Street crosses George Street.
This (itals) tondo – a Renaissance term for a circular work of art – was recently replaced and includes the inscription (itals) Pain Inflicted, Suffering Endured, Injustice Done.
