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/2288 Helen Hunter

name of accused
Helen Hunter
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/2223
Case date start
5/4/1643
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)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
  • white magic (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
None
additional persons
name involvement notes
no additional persons recorded

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

  • Specific ritual acts
Notes
She did a diagnosis to determine whether or not milk was bewitched. She read the bubbles in the milk.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • Prophesy

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • no information

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Removal bewitchment
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
None
references
name notes
None None His notes on primary documents that aren't held in Orkney. Marwick collection in Orkney Archives also notes there was/is information in Records of Orkney Sheriff Court but the primary source has not been located. J G Dalyell 'Darker Superstitions of Scotland' Edinburgh, 1834, pp. 109; 256; 514. The project did not check this secondary reference as part of the research.
Marwick Collection D31/4/3. Marwick collection in Orkney Archives also notes there was/is information in Records of Orkeny Sheriff Court but the primary source has not been located.
Orkney Presbytery Records CH2/1082/1. None