Witches Well
On the Castlehill Esplanade below Edinburgh Castle, the Witches' Well serves as a haunting memorial to thousands of accused witches executed in Scotland. Commissioned by Sir Patrick Geddes in 1894 and designed by artist John Duncan, this cast iron drinking fountain marks a site near where many accused of witchcraft met their fate.
Roman numerals on the well mark the dates 1479-1722, the height of Scotland’s witch hunts. The well’s design includes imagery relating to good versus evil, or healing versus poison. The accompanying plaque notes that some people used their knowledge for good and some for evil, illustrating the fact that even in the 19th century, a belief remained that some of the accused deserved their fate. Contemporary historians view the witch hunts through a different lens, looking at how fear, superstition and a desire for control led to the accusations, which were often impossible to refute by any means accepted at the trials.
The fountain may no longer flow, but the Witches’ Well stands as a reminder of persecution.
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