The Witches' Stone Spott a lost and found marker 1 of 21

The original stone may have been a megalithic marker. The oldest depictions show a larger stone and site it at a different place to that of the cage protected current lithic marker. The outdoor rural court at the larger Birlay Stone under the shade of the Birley Tree first found Marion Lillie who was locally called either the Rigwoodie, or the Ringwoody Witch not guilty. The Rigwoody Witch was later accused again, the Rigwoody attached to her name and label of witch is from the Scots Rigwoody meaning thin, or bony. Her second recorded trial has her sent to further courts with a guilty verdict to present to them. Some suppose that she would have been found guilty there and put to death as a witch. Before the imperfect legal process was concluded Marion died and was buried in Spott Church grounds showing she was not convicted at the time of her demise.

Whether the either the process of accusation and defence were contributing factors in Marion’s death, or not the records are not present to say, yet there is a record, “Many witches burnt on Spott Loan,” this follows Marion’s death and some believe that these many were 13, maybe a number not recorded, as 13 are considered by some an ideal number for a coven and 13 has several wicked and even evil connotations for some. The records and several authors comments are visible through the links below. Some record Marion and link her to a Marion Lillie and some record her as the last witch burned in Scotland. We will never have that perspective that ran throughout the times when Europeans thought Witches were to be discovered, tortured and put to death. That perspective that allowed many to dispose of often elderly women who some saw as hanging on to what they waited too long for. Through the death of the falsely accused person others could be rid of the living obstacle by convicting them and killing them as a witch.

Before society could allow for people differing from ‘the norm’ there were many targets to haul before what passed for justice. Those times for some are not that far away and we can at times act like such victimisation is still completely acceptable. Every culture has people at risk as we seem to realise that high ideals are for art, culture and dreams and that low acceptance is still fuelling violence and inherited intolerance is still simmering ready to burn any that happen to be seen as Witch, whatever it meant back then and for whatever it means today. Witch is a word we say, for some it is used as an insult and a slander. Witches past and present are the ones victimised and victorious in reclaiming our rights to be different and to accepted, to be in need as we all are of the harmony and the balance that comes through tolerance. Witch is just one word that people have used to label and dehumanise another person to such extreme that a Witch being murdered was seen a blessing.

The links below give the history better than I have above.

This was part of a journey to other sites. Some are listed below.

© PHH Sykes 2022
phhsykes@gmail.com

The Witches Stone. Spott Community Association
www.spottvillage.org.uk/witches-stone-2/

Witches' Stone, Spott
canmore.org.uk/site/57667/witches-stone-spott

Witches' Stone, Spott
www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/6453/witches_stone.html

Witches' Stone, Spott
www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=8239

Witches' Stone, Spott
www.johngraycentre.org/collections/getrecord/ELHER_MEL1560/

Spott Church
spottchurch.org.uk/

Easter Broomhouse Standing Stone (Prehistoric)
canmore.org.uk/site/57622/easter-broomhouse

Also The Modern Antiquarian and The Megalithic Portal

Easter Broomhouse Standing Stone
www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/1492/

Easter Broomhouse Standing Stone
www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?x=368000&y=676600

Pencraig Hill Standing Stone (Prehistoric)
www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/1494/pencraig_hill_stan...

Pencraig Hill Standing Stone (Prehistoric)
www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=6703

Taken in: UK / Scotland / Spott (show map)

Taken on: September 28, 2022

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