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(...) Immediately after leaving the town of Scalloway, before reaching Weisdale Voe I would have flanked the Loch of Tingwall, a historical centre of the Viking age. Because the islet of Law Ting Holm, as the toponym of Norwegian origin indicates, was the place where once (...) Lawthing met to legislate and administer justice.
[More or less corresponding to Icelandic Althing, the Assembly of Free Men. Also because only after 1611 the Scottish law will be adopted. Until then the sentences were issued, first by the Lawthing, then by the sheriff.
Basically, based on the code (Lagabøtes landslov) issued in 1274 by Magnus Haakonsson VI of Norway (1238-1280), the "Defender of the Law" (...), which will apply it to all Norway, to the islands of Fær Øer and Shetland.]
While on the nearby Gallows Hill of Scalloway were executed those condemned to death.
[From 1603, at the beginning of the 18th century.
In fact it seems that in the Shetlands there have been several Gallows Hills. Although the most important, perhaps because the last one to "work", was that of Scalloway.
Indeed, a research of the University of Vienna identified 15 sites in the archipelago, including the Tingwall Gallows Hill.
Samuel Hibbert, for example, in his description of the Shetland Islands of 1822, points out that Gallow Hill (Yell) was "a place of occasional execution in the country, during the oppressive period in which feudalism exercised its rule without law" (...)]
Two witches, Barbara Tulloch and her daughter Ellen King, were the last to be burned at the stake around 1690.
[In modern Scotland the judicial proceedings concerning witchcraft crimes were held between the beginning of the sixteenth and the middle of the eighteenth century. Especially after the entry into force of the Witchcraft Act (1563). It is estimated that during this period more than 1,500 people were executed, first strangling and, then, burning them.]
In this regard, however, it should be emphasized that the court records of the time show several executions, even not concerning the crime of witchcraft.
In 1615 the executioner hanged thieves Christopher Esplein, Bothuel “Buttie” Erasmussone and Iver Manssone.
The following year (1616), three women and one man are found guilty of witchcraft, contact with the devil and thievery. The women (Katherine Jonesdochter, Jonka Dyneis, Barbaray Scord) are strangled and burned,
[Verdict: “to be tane by the lockmane to the place of execution abone Berrie useit and wount efter none and thair to be wirryet at ane staik quhill they be dead and thairefter to be brunt in ashes…”] while Robert Boundson is hanged
[Verdict: “To be taken to the same place and hangit to the death upoun the geibitt for certane poyntis of thift and commone bruit thereof”].
In 1618 William Sutherland is beheaded in front of the castle of Scalloway (murder) [ Verdict: “To the west end of the gairdin and thair his head to be dung fra his shoulders be the maiden.”].
In the same year was strangled and then burned on the hill John Thompson (bestiality) [Verdict: “To be taken by the lockman to the Gallow Hill and there with his mear to be wirried at ane staik to the daith and brunt in ashes”].
In 1625 Robert Ingsetter was hanged on the hill, while Marioun Thomasdochter was thrown from a cliff (thievery)
[Verdict: “To be taken by the lockman and hir hand bound behind hir back to the point of Luckymenis Ness and thair cassing over the craig in the sea and drowned to the death.”].
In 1628, on the Scalloway Gallows Hill, Mans Christophersson and William Cogill were sent to the gallow.
[Verdict: “To be taken by the lockman, his [their] hands bund behind his [their] back, to the Gallow Hill, the place of execution, and there hanged”].
In 1644 the witches Marion Peebles (aka Pardone) and Margaret Guthramdaughter were first strangled, then burned at two in the afternoon: "to be taken brought to the place of execution to the Hill of Berrie and there wyryt at ane stak and brunt in ashes betwix and 2 aftirnoone ".
The witches Helen Stewart and her mother are strangled and burned (we do not know the locality) around 1675, while in the same year in Scalloway burned at the stake Luggie (nickname)
[“A wizzard accused and execute in Shetland, before named, for witchcraft several years ago, called Luggie, to a nick-name, who being a isher, had a trick at any time, when hungry at sea, to cast out his line, and would out of Neptuns lowest kitching, bring cliverly up ish well boiled and roasted. And his comerades by a natural courage, would make a merry meal thereof, not questioning who was cook. He had another piece of art, at any time in the year, or in great storms, to go up to an high hill near his own house, whereupon there was a deep pit, out of which, with his lines he drew up codlings, or keeling for his provision, which never man could do but himself. This story is true, being yet to be seen in the criminal books of that countrey”(...)]
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FROM: ULTIMA THULE. MEMORIES OF A WINTER STUDY JOURNEY TO THE SHETLAND ISLANDS
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
STOPOVER IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND: DURHAM AND THE EXCURSION TO THE LAKE DISTRICT
Durham, "model" of Urban Geography; Warkworth, Lindisfarne and Durham; Durham Foundation; Sir Walter Scott, the Shetlands and Durham;From coal mines to university colleges;The excursion to Lake District
HISTORY OF SHETLANDS
The Picts, the Brochs, Jarlshof; Broch Clickhmin, Lerwick; Vikings, Norwegians, Danish-Norwegians, Scots; The archipelagos of the Shetlands and Orkneys offered under warranty to Scotland
LANGUAGE, BETWEEN ENGLISH AND NORN
Folklore; The Up-Helly-Aa
LINKS WITH NORWAY
ECONOMY
Agriculture; Breeding; Fishing and fish farming; Oil; Tourism
BIRTH (WITH ORIGINAL SIN) AND DEVELOPMENT OF LERWICK
Some significant urban development dates; The "original sin" of Lerwick: smuggling; The history of lodberries
MAINLAND
Lerwick; Scalloway; In the north of Mainland: The Gallows Hill (The "Hill of Witches"), Tingwall, Weisdale Voe, Esha Ness; In the south of Mainland
COLLECTIVE EXISTENTIAL CRISIS
FOUR CULTURAL REVOLUTIONS
First Revolution, 1886: The Crofters' Act; Second Revolution, 1960: wool, knitwear, refrigerated fish, silver craftsmanship; Third Revolution, 1971-1998: discovery and exploitation of oil and gas; Fourth Revolution, 1998-today: contraction of oil extraction, revival and development of traditional economic activities (crofting, breeding, fishing, fish farming), tourism; Oil, gas; Fishing and fish farming; Cultivation, breeding, tourism
SMUGGLING AND PIRACY IN THE ARCHIPELAGO
SHIPWRECKS
In Scotland; Protection of wrecks of historical importance; In the Shetlands; The ground stations of the haaf: Walls and Stenness (Mainland); Important" shipwrecks and wrecks protected by law: XVII-XVIII century; During the Great War; In the Second World War
FAIR ISLE
1. The shipwreck of El Gran Grifón, 1588
2. Shipwrecks, 1868-1894
3. The “Year of the Disaster”, 1897
The background
The tragedy begins
The request for help
ESSENTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY
UK AUTHOR PAGE:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B01MRUJWH1
US AUTHOR PAGE:
amazon.com/author/francopelliccioni
N.B. The blog is equipped with Google Translate and an internal search engine
La versione del libro in lingua italiana: ULTIMA THULE. RICORDI DI UN VIAGGIO DI STUDIO INVERNALE NELLE ISOLE SHETLAND
E-Book
https://www.amazon.it/dp/B07N53RZCH
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