Marioun Twedy facts for kids

Marioun Twedy or Marion Tweedy was a woman accused of witchcraft in Peebles, Scottish Borders, in 1649. People claimed she had caused the death of a woman and her child. They also said she used special charms to help sick animals. Marioun refused to admit to these accusations. However, a person called a "witch-pricker" claimed to find a "devil's mark" on her body. This mark was believed to show she was a witch.

Marioun's Story

Marioun Twedy lived in a place called Kirkurd near Peebles. She was arrested and put in prison in Peebles on May 17, 1649.

A local church group, called the Presbytery, asked for a special group to look into the witchcraft claims against her. This group was approved by the government in September 1649.

What Marioun Was Accused Of

People made several claims against Marioun. One story was that she gave advice about a cow that was bleeding. She supposedly told her neighbor to take the blood "three times withershins about her house then pour it into a hole in the ground". This was seen as a charm.

Another accusation was that Marioun caused a house to burn down. All the animals inside the house died.

She was also accused of predicting a child's accident and then causing it. The child's mother later died too. The husband of the dead woman blamed Marioun for both deaths. He said Marioun was doing evil things because he had once refused to marry her daughter.

The Witch-Pricker

Marioun was in prison for months and questioned many times. But she would not confess to being a witch. She only admitted to using a few charms to help people or animals.

The church group then asked a local woman, Agnes Stuart, for advice. Agnes told them to get a "witch-pricker." This was a person who claimed to find special marks on a witch's body.

George Cathie from Tranent was brought in as the witch-pricker. He would use a needle or a sharp tool to prick a person's skin. If a spot did not bleed or hurt, it was called a "devil's mark." People believed this mark showed a person was working with the devil.

On October 11, 1649, George Cathie claimed he found a "devil's mark" on Marioun Twedy. After this, her future seemed set.

Marioun Twedy's witch trial happened in Peebles on November 21, 1649. Six women and one man accused her. There is no record of anyone speaking up to defend her. It is known that she still refused to confess. However, what happened to her after the trial is not written down. Many people accused of witchcraft in Scotland were executed by strangling and then burning.

Remembering the Past

Marioun Twedy's story is part of a play called Prick. The play was written by Laurie Flanagan Hegge and directed by Meggie Greivell. It tells the stories of Marioun, Isobel Gowdie, and other women accused during the Scottish Witch Trials. Nearly 4,000 people were accused of witchcraft in Scotland. Their stories are recorded in the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft.

Images for kids

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  A plaque was put up in Tweed Green, Peebles. It remembers those who lost their lives in the witch hunts there.

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  Another view of the commemorative plaque in Peebles.