The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft

1563-1736

By Julian Goodare, Lauren Martin, Joyce Miller and Louise Yeoman, January 2003

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Case Details

C/EGD/1163 Helen Manderstoun (Arnot)

name of accused
Helen Manderstoun (Arnot)
designated title
Lady
Accused Reference
A/EGD/1151
Case date start
3/12/1629
Given case date
no information
Case commission
no information
case complaint
no information
case correspondence
no information
case chronicle
no information
other details
no information

characterisation

  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
None

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

Notes
None

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • no information

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

Notes
None

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

Other charges

  • no information

Notes
None

Plea

Claimed bewitched
no
Claimed possessed
no
Admitted lesser charges
no
No defence
no
Claimed natural causes
no
Notes
None
Case Notes
Accused by Hammilton (after pressure from her husband?) of having used witchcraft to damage the life and estate of Sir George Home of Manderston. Hammilton retracted her confession and she was set free. William Mowat and Patrick Abernathy were prosecuted for taking false testimony against her.
references
name notes
SJC VI, pp. 143, 147 None
RPC 2nd S v3, p. 361; 378; 389 first reference an order for witnesses to appear before the PC, second entry a notice that they did not appear. Third reference is a long narration of the testimony of two witnesses to Hammilton's statements against her
RPC 2nd S, v3 p.443 Hammilton dropped his confession, now need to get John Neill to drop his
RPC 2nd S, v3 p. 397-400 details how Hammilton's depositions were shown to be faulty, especially in regard to his testimony about Manderston.
RPC 2nd S, v4 pp. 15, 55, 80, 98, 131, 316 Continuance of protection requested by George Home of Manderston in the wake of his witchcraft accussations against Lady Home of Manderston. Second reference states that Lady Home, Helen Arnot petitioned the court of session for a divorces.