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Dark deeds in Bargarran, Erskine & Paisley in 1697
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Over the last few weeks, Paisley has been talking about the disappearance of the Bargarran witch hunt commemorative horseshoe, part of the Tondo designed by the Kings Sculptor and Buddie, Alexander Stoddart. In the past the Bargarran witches have been blamed for dark times in Paisley when the horseshoe has previously disappeared, such as…
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Names of the witches (in Scotland) 1658 – Welcome Library
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The Welcome Library has published a fascinating book from 1658 to c1662 with a list of witches named in Scotland. The original manuscript list is written by several hands but also contains a later transcript. The original document is endorsed: ‘Names of the witches. 1658’. There is one short section on Renfrewshire. The document…
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Dark Events at Bargarran in 1676
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Today when the name Bargarran is mentioned, we always turn our minds to 1696/7 and the last mass witch hunt in Scotland that led to the execution of seven people in Paisley on the 10th October 1697. But the events that unfolded there in 1696 were preceded by a mysterious death in 1676. In…
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Mr John Neilson of Nethercommon, Paisley
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Today the John Neilston Institution as a place of education is but a mere memory, even though the building proudly dominating the skyline of Paisley still exists. But who was John Neilson of Nethercommon? John (born 14 December 1778[1], died 12 November 1839[2]) was descended from the Neilson’s of Rashiecrook in Erskine Parish, though…