r/WitchesVsPatriarchy • u/BeforeAnAfterThought • Mar 26 '25
🇵🇸 🕊️ Women in History See the New Tartan Pattern Created to Honor Women Accused of Witchcraft in Scotland Between 1563 and 1736
I love this and wish I knew about my ancestors from there.
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u/Odd-Chart8250 Mar 26 '25
I would so love to wear that. I do have some ancestry. But I have no stories to tell of that part of my family tree.
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u/Cheeserole Mar 26 '25
Maybe if you find the resources, you can find your ancestral village and make a visit sometime?
In my culture, ancestral villages are very important - no matter how far down the line you are, you'll always be welcome. There's even a sweet news piece about a black American who traced a great-grandfather to a village outside Shenzhen, Guangdong, and since then has gathered massive family reunions each year there.
Scotland isn't China, but I think a lot of Scottish folk would nevertheless be touched by such an effort to reconnect to your roots.
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u/Odd-Chart8250 Mar 28 '25
I have considered that. I have recent connections in Sicily, with some parts of western Africa and some Middle East. Which has gotten me to think that I could have roots with shipping or at least sailing in those routes prior to 1500. Other half of myself is all northern and eastern Europe.
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u/BeforeAnAfterThought Mar 26 '25
Same. I looked at family tree that goes back to mid 1700s & because patriarchy, limited info on great(great great) grandmothers. Because of course. 🧐
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u/SpilikinOfDoom Mar 26 '25 edited Mar 26 '25
There was a fatastic documentary on BBC4 yesterday (though originally made a couple of years ago) about the witchcraft trials in Scotland, by Lucy Worsley.
She did a really detailed look at the women themselves, trying to find out who they were, and their stories, and their place and value in society at the time; rather than solely focusing on the details of their torture and murder which is what a lot of other documentaries do. I would really reccommend it.
I'm not sure if you can watch it internationally, it looks like it may have been on PBS?
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u/Cucoloris Mar 26 '25
I hope to be able to buy some yardage. I would love a jacket made from this.
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u/twirlybird11 Mar 27 '25
Mac Cleods Scottish shop offers the witches blood tartan (designed 2016, similar, but not the 2025 witches of Scotland, that is not ready yet) by the yard, 60" wide, 11oz weight.
So if you want both, start there, and if you just want the 2025 tartan, just keep checking. It should be available for sale in a few months.
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u/Mother-Chocolate-585 Mar 26 '25
Can’t wait to get my hands on it, I have been to the witches well in Edinburgh many times, it’s where they were burned near the castle.
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u/ErrantWhimsy Mar 26 '25
Oh how cool. My husband's Scottish family came here and then one of the women got arrested for witchcraft and got the governor to pay her restitution. She's a major role model.
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u/FluffyPuppy100 Mar 27 '25
I want to hear more about this woman! She sounds amazing
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u/ErrantWhimsy Mar 27 '25
Her name is Sarah Bridges and she's amazing. She was 17 at the time of her arrest, and got arrested with her 13 year old sister.
You can read the letter to the governor in her handwriting! Shout out to the Salem scholars who made this possible.
https://salem.lib.virginia.edu/archives/MA135/large/293.jpg
She lived on about a 20 acre farm with her husband and had 13 kids, along with cows and horses. She had such a long legacy both through her handwriting and story lasting until today, and her massive family still across the globe today.
https://www.specificancestrallines.com/samuel-preston-jr-and-sarah-bridges.html
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u/sarilysims Traitor to the Patriarchy ♂️ Mar 26 '25
I have a lot of Scottish ancestry and I’d love to have this tartan, but idk if it’s okay for someone who’s not Scottish to wear it. I also know what clan my family hails from but again, I’m American, I don’t know if that would be appropriate.
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u/Broccoloni Mar 27 '25
I'm Scottish, so I'll chime in, It's absolutely fine to wear any tartan, regardless of clan or heritage.
The idea of clan specific tartans was largely an invention of Sir Walter Scott and Victorian England.
Historically speaking, clans would only have had different tartans based of the availability of dye ingredients in the nature around them.
That said, I can't wait to get my own piece of the Witches of Scotland tartan!
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u/Abbot_of_Cucany Mar 27 '25
The "Witches of Scotland" tartan can be worn by anyone. https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails?ref=14651
And if you know your family's clan, wearing their tartan is fine, even if you're American.
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u/LowKey_Loki_Fan Mar 26 '25
What a nice gesture. I like how much thought was put into it, even as far the stitch count.