A remarkable Kirkcudbright trial involving claims of witchcraft, fear and deception will be revisited at Broughton House on Sunday 28 June. The date is most commonly associated with the 1805 case against Jean Maxwell, known in local history as the Galloway Sorceress.
Award-winning storyteller and Mostly Ghostly founder Kathleen Cronie will return to Broughton House for a new event exploring Maxwell’s story and the young servant drawn into one of Scotland’s more unusual prosecutions linked to witchcraft.
By 1805, Scotland’s major witch trials were a thing of the past. Maxwell’s case however, was very different; she was prosecuted for claiming to possess supernatural powers and pretending to exercise witchcraft, sorcery and conjuration.
At the centre of the story was Jean Davidson, a young servant at Little Cocklick farm in the parish of Urr. Contemporary accounts describe how Maxwell gained Davidson’s confidence, offered to tell her fortune, and drew her into a series of threats, rituals and warnings involving the Devil. Davidson was persuaded to hand over money, clothing and provisions, while being warned of serious consequences if she revealed what had taken place.
The matter eventually reached the authorities, and Maxwell was brought before the court in Kirkcudbright. She was found guilty and sentenced to one year’s imprisonment in the town’s Tolbooth, together with periods of public punishment while serving her sentence.
Fittingly, the event will take place on the date most commonly associated with Maxwell’s trial, with Broughton House standing just a short distance from the historic Tolbooth where she was held.
Drawing on contemporary accounts and surviving records, Kathleen will share the story in her own distinctive style, setting the events within the context of early nineteenth-century Galloway and exploring the people caught up in them.
Mostly Ghostly founder Kathleen Cronie said:
‘When I first encountered Jean Maxwell’s story, I was instantly gripped by the complex relationship she formed with Jean Davidson, and how it developed into something far darker.
‘Maxwell appears to have been adept at using her knowledge of witchcraft, charming and the beliefs of the time to plant fear in Davidson’s mind. Here was a vulnerable young woman who became subject to threats and manipulation, and who must have felt increasingly powerless as Maxwell’s demands became more severe.
‘I’m also left wondering what led Maxwell herself to pursue this course of action, and what hardships she may have been experiencing in her own life. It is a troubling and fascinating story, and one that raises significant questions over two centuries later.’
NTS Visitor Services Manager for Dumfries and Galloway, Lisa Langton-Boyd, said:
‘It’s a pleasure to welcome Kathleen back to Broughton House and Garden for another exciting and insightful look into our local history. Jean Maxwell was imprisoned at the Tolbooth, Kirkcudbright, in 1805 for pretending to exercise witchcraft, sorcery and enchantment. It’s wonderful that we can explore her story through Kathleen’s respectful and passionate approach, helping to keep this fascinating part of our local heritage alive. This really is an event not to be missed.’
Guests are invited to discover the story of Jean Maxwell — The Galloway Sorceress — and consider for themselves the extraordinary relationship with Jean Davidson that bound their lives together. Get Tickets HERE
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