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/139 Katherine McTeir

name of accused
Katherine McTeir
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/128
Case date start
3/1/1602
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

  • folk healing (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
Kirk session discussed healing and quarrels but Patrick Lowrie mentioned demonic material.
additional persons
name involvement notes
no additional persons recorded

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
Was presented with a hairbelt in the shape of a devil's claw by Helena McBurnie, the 'devilish spirit woman' according to P. Lowrie.
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

Notes
Devil's meetings which McTeir was said to have attended were at the top of Lowdon Hill, the kirk and kirkyard and the shore were described by P. Lowrie.

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

Notes
She was presented with a hairbelt (in the shape of a Devil's claw) from the spirit woman Helena McBurnie and used part of a corpse in a ritual, according to P. Lowrie. Supposedly used a stone for her 'adois' She provided herbs to combat P. Lowrie's bewitching. Carried out rituals at Hallowe'en and Whitsun.

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

  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
  • Healing animals
Notes
Seems to be small-scale healing of animals (in the Kirk session records).

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
None
references
name notes
Books of Adjournal JC2/4 fo. 59v None
Pitcairn v ii, p. 478 Same text as JC2/4
Dundonald Parish Records Carnegie Library, Ayr, 941.429 DUN, p. 1-54 None