Torryburn Witches

Overview

A Famous Fife Witch Pricker

In the small village in West Fife, named Torryburn the Reverend Allan Logan the local minister was famed throughout Scotland for his skill in his detection and hunting down of witches. During his communion services he would suddenly glare fiercely down at his assembled congregation then, pointing his finger, would loudly and dramatically shout : "You witch - wife, rise from the Tables of the Lord." So confident was his accusation that on almost every occasion some terrified old woman would instantly hurry from the church to be met and arrested outside by the local bailie and his armed men.

Torryburn Witch Burnt

In the small village of Torryburn in the west of Fife in the year 1704, an old woman, Lillias Adie, was accused of bringing ill health to one of her neighbours, a certain Jean Nelson. Summoned before the ministers and elders of Torryburn church, poor old confused Lillias confessed that she was indeed a witch. She told the grim faced committee of church elders that she had met the Devil in a corn field and had excepted him as her lover and master. The terrified woman described how she and the Devil had led many others, whom she named, in a wild heathenish dance. According to Lillias a strange blue unearthly light had appeared and had followed the dancers around the corn field. Her tales grew wilder and wilder and were eagerly accepted as proof of her dealings with the Devil. Lillias was, according to the official records, "Burnt within the sea mark"

West Fife Villages
updated 03/2009 by Action for Change Scotland