Calling Up Storms- An Art Photography Story of the Scottish Witch Trials

Suspicions of witches and witchcraft took hold in Scotland under the reign of James VI.

In the coastal town of North Berwick, a witch was said to have a secret meeting with the devil out at sea, plotting against his king in the shadow of the Bass Rock.

A large group of witches gathered in St Andrew’s churchyard to dance and hear the devil preach. 

They plotted together to prevent the King’s new bride from sailing to Scotland from Denmark and called up storms so ferocious they sunk one of the King’s ships as he and his Queen travelled by sea. 

James VI believed that they had called up spirits in the form of hares to topple the ship.

This sparked off the North Berwick witch trials with over 200 people tried for witchcraft and fuelled a vicious movement of persecution which would spread to England and North America.

These images are the start of a developing series exploring stories about the witch trials under the reign of James VI and I. This collection received an honourable mention in the Fine Art category of the Annual Photography Awards 2023.