Tucked in a small building in Leven, Fife, is a delightfully creepy place called the Scottish Witch Trial Museum, run by Leonard Low, author, museum owner, and historical consultant to the television show Outlander.
This summer I traveled back to Scotland to research for my next book in the Tales of the Witchborn series (which includes To Condemn a Witch and To Rescue a Witch) and was lucky enough to meet him to discuss all things witchy.
Lisa Traugott and Leonard Low – Holding up our books
Scottish Witch Trials, Torture and King James VI
Not only will he spin a yarn about Sam Heughan (Jamie Fraser of Outlander fame), but will tell you hidden tales about King James VI, the church, and gory details about how they forced confessions.
Witch Bottles and How Scots Protected Themselves from Witchcraft
He’ll also tell you about the odd things our ancestors did to try to protect themselves from hexes, like throwing shoes up their chimneys, and/or filling witch bottles with protective ingredients like hairballs, iron nails, and urine, which apparently made perfect sense at the time.
The True Story of Bessie Mason: Accused of Witchcraft in 1644
Leonard has strong opinions about witchcraft because his ancestor, Bessie Mason, was burned at the stake for it! In 1644, Bessie, the daughter of a fisherman, fell in love with the son of the Sheriff of Fife, and ended up getting pregnant. The Sheriff would hardly allow his son to marry the daughter of a fisherman, so he sent his son away and accused the girl of witchcraft. He brought her to a dungeon, where she was tortured until she confessed and was then burned at the stake at St. Andrew’s.
Learning about his family’s past led him to be interested in the darker side of Scottish history. He’s written multiple books, including Scotland’s Untold Stories and The Weem Witch.
Witch Trial Torture Devices and Museum Artifacts
His museum artifacts includes torture devices like thumb screws, witch barrels, the devil’s tongue, and the scold’s bridle.
Everyone on the tour had a chance to hold the Scold’s Bridle, which was a metal cage that went over the woman’s head. A bridle, like what was used on oxen, was placed in her mouth, only this one had a sharp spike on it to prevent her from speaking. She’d be led through town by a leash attached to this monstrosity. This device plays a prominent role in my own novel, To Condemn a Witch.
Famous Witches and Witch Hunters in Scottish History
Curious about the real women behind the accusations? He’ll tell you about some of the most famous witch tales in history like Lilias Adie (the only witch buried in Scotland), Mr. Patterson (a cross-dressing witch hunter,) and Bessie Millar (the Great Farty Witch of Orkney).
Visiting the Scottish Witch Trial Museum in Leven, Fife
If you like dark history, witch trials, and places off the beaten path, I think you’ll like the Scottish Witch Trial Museum in Leven, Fife. And if you do go, tell him I said hi.
The Story of Bessie Mason, Told by Leonard Low
Here’s the story about his ancestor, in his own words:
Want to hear a story about a real life accused witch from her ancestor…and a historian for Outlander and Men in Kilts? ❤️ I met with Leonard Low at his Scottish Witch Trials Museum in Fife, Scotland while researching my Tales of the Witchborn series 📚 To Rescue a Witch 🧙♀️ To Condemn a Witch 🧙♀️ His museum is compact, creepy and fascinating. He is the ultimate expert on Scottish Witch trials. If you like witch trial history and are close to Edinburgh, check out his 🧙♀️ museum.
P.S. – Here are my own witchy books available on Amazon in hard cover, paperback, Kindle Unlimited and audiobook. (Well, technically, To Condemn a Witch is available in audiobook and To Rescue a Witch will be released in October, 2026, but I don’t know when you’re reading this!)
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