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Agnes Finnie The Witch of the Potterow Port
Witchcraft holds a continued fascination for readers around the world, and the Scottish witch hunts have recently received renewed media attention, especially with the BBC 2 show Lucy Worsley Investigates, bringing attention to Edinburgh’s witches.
Expert Mary Craig explores the unusual story of Agnes Finnie, a middle class shopkeeper who lived in the tenements of Edinburgh. After arrest, most witches were tried within a matter of days but not Agnes. Her unusual case took months with weeks of deliberation of the jury. Mary explains why and gives her expert insight into the political and religious tensions that led to her burning.
The book will interest a variety of readers, academics and non-academics alike – those interested in witchcraft, British and Scottish history, religious studies and women’s studies.
Mary Craig works as a historian with museums, archives and schools and hosts regular, well-attended events on the subject of witchcraft in the Scottish Borders. We expect strong media coverage. The Witches of Scotland campaign has recently gained traction and the attention of first minister Nicola Sturgeon, calling for a pardon and apology to those accused during the witch hunts.
Expert Mary Craig explores the unusual story of Agnes Finnie, a middle class shopkeeper who lived in the tenements of Edinburgh. After arrest, most witches were tried within a matter of days but not Agnes. Her unusual case took months with weeks of deliberation of the jury. Mary explains why and gives her expert insight into the political and religious tensions that led to her burning.
The book will interest a variety of readers, academics and non-academics alike – those interested in witchcraft, British and Scottish history, religious studies and women’s studies.
Mary Craig works as a historian with museums, archives and schools and hosts regular, well-attended events on the subject of witchcraft in the Scottish Borders. We expect strong media coverage. The Witches of Scotland campaign has recently gained traction and the attention of first minister Nicola Sturgeon, calling for a pardon and apology to those accused during the witch hunts.
- GenresHistory
272 pages, Paperback
Published February 23, 2023
3 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Mary W. Craig
6 books11 followersI am Mary W. Craig, a writer and historian. I am a former Carnegie scholar and a graduate of the University of Glasgow. I write historical fiction and non-fiction about ordinary people and how they live their lives buffeted by the politics and economics of the elite.
Some historians are known as hedgehogs, happily snuffling about rooting out the minutest of historical details. Others are known as eagles, soaring on high they see the great vistas of historical events. A few are known as magpies: if something shiny and interesting catches their eye they will try to capture it where possible.
I am a magpie.
Some historians are known as hedgehogs, happily snuffling about rooting out the minutest of historical details. Others are known as eagles, soaring on high they see the great vistas of historical events. A few are known as magpies: if something shiny and interesting catches their eye they will try to capture it where possible.
I am a magpie.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 23, 2025
Agnes Finnie by Mary W Craig - Very Good
Agnes Finnie was a shopkeeper, a money lender and one of those strong women that can generate ill feeling just by existing. The fact that she had a temper and strong opinions added to this. She lived and worked in the Potterrow in Edinburgh in the 17th century. At the time it was a poor area near the southern gate of the city where the smallest of things could push you over from surviving to being out on the streets. The area was ministered to by Greyfriars Parish, but anyone that knows Edinburgh or the history of the time knows that Greyfriars was far too preoccupied with other things than ministering to the poor. Maybe that's why it took so long for Agnes to come to folks attention.
At the time, the 'world' was in flux. Charles I was trying to enforce the Anglican service on Scotland leading to Jenny Geddes throwing a stool at the Minister in St Giles and the great and good meeting at Greyfriars to sign The National Covenant which would put them at odds with the King and see them fighting against the Royalists in the Civil War.
Agnes had been lending money and visiting the sick to ease their maladies and cursing those that crossed her or failed to pay their dues. How she got away without being denounced earlier is puzzling, but it wasn't for some time that she was finally accused of being a witch. Unusually for the times, her trial took months (rather than hours) and even after being found guilty her execution was delayed and delayed rather than being carried out promptly. It is thanks to this drawn out procedure that we know so much about her as most of the court documents are in the National Library of Scotland and are the main source material of the book.
Lots has been written about witches and witch trials in the 17th century but it wasn't until I read this book that it came into context for me. I knew about the Covenanters and about Greyfriars (I was a guide there for a while) and about the Covenanter and latterly Civil war battles. I just never put all of it together and how a frightened populace and the Civic Leaders would look for a scapegoat for all that was befalling them.
A very readable history of interesting times and a very interesting woman.
#review
Agnes Finnie was a shopkeeper, a money lender and one of those strong women that can generate ill feeling just by existing. The fact that she had a temper and strong opinions added to this. She lived and worked in the Potterrow in Edinburgh in the 17th century. At the time it was a poor area near the southern gate of the city where the smallest of things could push you over from surviving to being out on the streets. The area was ministered to by Greyfriars Parish, but anyone that knows Edinburgh or the history of the time knows that Greyfriars was far too preoccupied with other things than ministering to the poor. Maybe that's why it took so long for Agnes to come to folks attention.
At the time, the 'world' was in flux. Charles I was trying to enforce the Anglican service on Scotland leading to Jenny Geddes throwing a stool at the Minister in St Giles and the great and good meeting at Greyfriars to sign The National Covenant which would put them at odds with the King and see them fighting against the Royalists in the Civil War.
Agnes had been lending money and visiting the sick to ease their maladies and cursing those that crossed her or failed to pay their dues. How she got away without being denounced earlier is puzzling, but it wasn't for some time that she was finally accused of being a witch. Unusually for the times, her trial took months (rather than hours) and even after being found guilty her execution was delayed and delayed rather than being carried out promptly. It is thanks to this drawn out procedure that we know so much about her as most of the court documents are in the National Library of Scotland and are the main source material of the book.
Lots has been written about witches and witch trials in the 17th century but it wasn't until I read this book that it came into context for me. I knew about the Covenanters and about Greyfriars (I was a guide there for a while) and about the Covenanter and latterly Civil war battles. I just never put all of it together and how a frightened populace and the Civic Leaders would look for a scapegoat for all that was befalling them.
A very readable history of interesting times and a very interesting woman.
#review
July 7, 2025
an interesting history of a local character with country-wide context
October 7, 2023
As much a historical study of 17th century Scotland, as the tale of the ‘with{, Agnes Finnie, this books sets the scene perfectly.
The actual imprisonment and trial of Agnes takes up around a third of the book, with much before that being the stories that eventually became the charges against her, but all set against the backdrop of the Covenanters, King Charles, Cromwell, and the interplay of Christianity and a belief in the ‘other’.
That background serves well to help understand the times, and why Agnes wasn’t actually unusual (if, clearly, very very grumpy). The story is told in an engaging way, filling some gaps where the records fall short, but in general dealing more in educated supposition.
The actual imprisonment and trial of Agnes takes up around a third of the book, with much before that being the stories that eventually became the charges against her, but all set against the backdrop of the Covenanters, King Charles, Cromwell, and the interplay of Christianity and a belief in the ‘other’.
That background serves well to help understand the times, and why Agnes wasn’t actually unusual (if, clearly, very very grumpy). The story is told in an engaging way, filling some gaps where the records fall short, but in general dealing more in educated supposition.
October 16, 2024
This is a fascinating book, which treads the fine line between our modern viewpoint and the brutal reality of society in seventeenth century Edinburgh, showing the latter sympathetically, but in the light of the former. Mary Craig has presented the story of Agness Finnie cleverly, showing her for a manipulative and dislikable woman, yet also gaining our respect for her and for the intelligent way that she fought her corner during her trial. The book combines excellent research and great readability. Thanks for a fascinating read.
July 8, 2025
This was a really interesting slice of history, with expansive research propping up the close and remote views of the life of one woman who terrorised her local neighbourhood until it ended in her death. Unfortunately it was undermined slightly by a little repetition of a couple of ideas (women with power being Bad, life controlled by the Kirk, etc) and then the left-field suggestion of Huntingtons Disease at its conclusion. Overall though I do feel enlightened for having read it.
January 11, 2024
Really intriguing and exciting work that takes you to Edinburgh in the 1600s and parallels the nation's struggles against one woman's in a community drawn to magic and the Kirk's pronouncements.
Injustices from this era are still relevant and the historical detail fascinating for those with Scottish heritoage.
Injustices from this era are still relevant and the historical detail fascinating for those with Scottish heritoage.
April 10, 2023
Another good book about witches from Mary. Agnes was certainly not a nice person but the story is so interesting with lots of background history. I'd definitely recommend this for anyone that wants to learn about witches.
February 7, 2024
A fascinating topic, with so many unanswered questions about this particular case. The writing was rather dry at times, and there could have been better proofreading.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews