A History of Witchcraft in Scotland: From Holyrood Palace to Edinburgh Castle

(70 reviews)

Edinburgh audio tour: A History of Witchcraft in Scotland: From Holyrood Palace to Edinburgh Castle

This is a 1.2mi walking tour

It takes an average of 90 mins to complete.

Edinburgh

The United Kingdom

$9.99

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About the Tour

This walking tour brings together centuries of history and folklore by telling the sad stories of thousands of innocent women who were persecuted during the Scottish witchcraft panics. It focuses on a public hysteria about witchcraft, and the tortures and trials that came with it – especially during the reign of King James VI of Scotland – but real women are at the centre of the tale, as is what life would have been like here back in the 1500s and 1600s. But we’ll hear about women who were called witches later too, all the way through to the 1900s.

Our journey begins outside Holyrood Palace, the home of Scottish royalty, and from there we’ll work our way up the famous Royal Mile and weave through the Old Town’s alleyways and closes until we are in the shadows of Edinburgh Castle.

The subject matter of this tour may be dark, but it is important that this particular era in history is remembered. The line between fact and fiction is often blurred when you discuss witches and witchcraft, but by staying focused on real history, real women and the impact of witch panics on Scotland, I hope this tour leaves you with a much clearer understanding of this important chapter in the country’s history.

Tour Producer

Katrina Milne

5 tours

Hi, my name is Kat - I am originally from the North East of Scotland. I relocated to the city of Edinburgh 10 years ago to study at University. I have a degree in Tourism Management and focused my university thesis paper on Scottish film sites, and in particular, Harry Potter and Outlander.

In 2018 I started my own tour company - Travel Kat Tours. We specialise in small group and private tours around the U.K. leaving from Edinburgh. My Walking Tour in Edinburgh is one of the top rated experiences on Airbnb and we have taken over 3000 clients on our tours since our launch in 2018. I run Edinburgh history, folklore and Harry Potter Tours. I also have a Scottish Witchcraft Tour that is very popular.
I have 5-star rating reviews and thrive upon showcasing our beautiful country.

During lock down I undertook further tour guide training by completing a North East Scotland: History, Landscape & culture certificate from the University of Aberdeen. As a native Scots speaker (Doric) I like to promote my language and heritage to visitors and through writing. I thrive on conducting research, reading and writing and producing videos on Scotland.

When I am not showing guests around Edinburgh, I also maintain a travel blog and try to explore as much as I can. I have been lucky enough to have visited over 50 countries, but I still maintain that Scotland is my favourite!

Preview Location

Location 8

Bake House Close

You have now reached our next stop - Bakehouse close. You are standing next to the Edinburgh Museum and you will see the sign and alleyway into Bakehouse close on the right of the museum.

I wanted to bring you here to show what the way of life in Edinburgh may have looked ... You have now reached our next stop - Bakehouse close. You are standing next to the Edinburgh Museum and you will see the sign and alleyway into Bakehouse close on the right of the museum.

I wanted to bring you here to show what the way of life in Edinburgh may have looked like at the time. This archway dates back to the 1570’s. You may enter underneath and walk around the small courtyard. The building on top of the archway was three houses joined up together, the name of the close stems from the corporation of bakers who owned the properties at the time.

To give you an idea of the living conditions here, in the 1871 census it was revealed that approximately 230 people lived within this building. You can imagine the cramped living conditions and living within close proximity to your neighbours whether you liked them or not.

Broadly speaking at the time it was truly believed that a witch was someone who entered into a pact with the Devil and they could use the powers given to them to harm neighbours. If magic could be used to heal, then it could be used to harm.

It was believed that a witch could deeply attack a person’s economic wellbeing through such acts as blighting annual crops or killing their farm animals. You have to remember during the late 1500’s times were difficult. Wages were low, through poor diets and disease the general population were struggling to survive, so the death of a cow or an infertile pig could literally mean the difference between life and death. You can see how it was easier to blame a witch for their misfortune at the time.

When you are ready, go back through the archway you came from and cross over the street when it is safe to do so and you will see the Canongate church in front of you, continue to walk uphill. There are wooden seats outside the Tolbooth, take a seat outside if you like, or you can look out for the Tolbooth Tavern. You will spot a clock tower above the building. It's a great place to stop for a drink if you fancy one later on. For now, we'll stop here. Read More

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Major Landmarks

Royal Mile
St Giles' Cathedral
John Knox House
Scottish Parliament Building
Museum of Edinburgh
The Witchery
Edinburgh Castle
Palace of Holyroodhouse

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Getting There

Route Overview

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Start location
Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DX, UK
Total distance

2km
Final location
Edinburgh EH1 2ND, UK
Distance back to start location

2km

Directions to Starting Point

The tour will start outside the Palace of Holyrood, on Horse's Wynd which is situated on the right corner - you will see the Holyrood Park information centre. We will begin on the corner next to the black iron gates.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

Holyrood Palace, Museum of Childhood (free musuem), John Knox's house, St. Giles Cathedral (free entry) and Edinburgh Castle. If you want to treat yourself to a special lunch or dinner you can also visit the Witchery Restaurant near the end of our tour.

Best time of day

Early morning is best if you want the streets to be quiet. The Holyrood Palace is open for tours at 09:30 if you want to visit there first. If you also want to visit the Scottish Parliament, you can do so for free.

Precautions

The Closes and alleyways can be very dark, if you are visiting in winter bear in mind the limited daylight hours. During the months of July and August the city is very busy, be aware of your surroundings.

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“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”