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/784 Katharine Clacherty

name of accused
Katharine Clacherty
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/773
Case date start
9/4/1658
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

  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
looks like a neighbourhood dispute one, but we don't have the dittay, just the witnesses responses to the dittay. That does not give us enough information to tell for sure.
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

  • Shape changing
Notes
None

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • Vision to a dying man

Ritual objects

  • no information

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Human death
  • Animal illness
  • Animal death
  • Transferring disease
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
Notes
accused of getting magical revenge for harm done to her family.

Cause of witch's malice

  • Revenge

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
Circuit Court Books JC10/1 fo. 219r-220r, 221r, 223v, 236v None
Process Notes JC26/25 Kirkcudbright Roll 1658