Maggie Wall Monument, Dunning, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The Truth, the Myth, or the Mystery.

What is the truth surrounding the tale of Maggie Wall? The myth and mystery involving this Perthshire monument is complex. The inscription 'Maggie Wall burnt as a witch 1657' engraved on the stones of this monument is clear. However, there are no records that confirm Maggie Wall ever existed, was she a myth? Local folklore is very strong that she did. In Scotland, between the 1500's and 1700's over 3800 women were burnt at the stake in the belief that they were involved in witchcraft. Of all those women, hardly any were given memorials even though all were obviously innocent. The burning of so-called witches was one of the main reasons that the laws of the country were reformed to allow for the rigorous testing of evidence in courts. In many cases an accusation of being a witch is all that was required. Strong local folklore surrounding Maggie's story goes that she was having an affair with a rich local landowner. One suggestion is that after she was burnt at the stake the landowner was consumed with guilt and built the monument in her memory. The myth of Maggie Wall even continues today with the story that her skull was at one time on display in The Saracens Head pub in the Gallowgate, Glasgow, Scotland.
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Music; Yonder Hill and Dale, Aaron Kenny. UA-cam Audio Library
Further reading:
dunning.uk.net/maggie.html
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggi...

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The Healer of Duncrub; a skilled herbalist, shameful victim of jealousy, fear & ignorance.

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