Witches in Word, Not Deed

After perusing the excellent Joseph Noel Paton exhibition at the Carnegie Library and Galleries, Dunfermline, we found another fascinating display in the smaller hall. Witches in Word, Not Deed, remembers 13 women persecuted as a result of the 1536 Witchcraft Act. Through historically accurate and illuminated white dresses worn by empty forms, the exhibition aims to highlight the loss of identity suffered by the wrongly accused.

Each garment is imprinted with words used against these women, or found in the enduring legacy of folktales and other misconceptions that replaced the true humanity. The witch trials belong in Scotland's catalogue of shame. Roughly 4000 people were accused, the vast majority of them female. Only Spain comes close to this level of debasement. Stripped of the right to any meaningful defence, around 2500 people were executed - the mandated punishment for anyone found guilty. Some died as a result of torture or imprisonment. Others by suicide. Just down the road from us, in the coastal village of Torryburn, lies the only known resting place of a Scottish woman accused of witchcraft (and fornicating with the devil). Lilias Adie was dumped in the intertidal zone in 1704, having passed away in custody. A large slab was placed upon the burial site, lest the corpse be reanimated by Old Nick himself. The grave was robbed in 1852 and there is an ongoing campaign to locate remains and inter them with dignity. The grave site can easily be viewed from Torryburn beach during low tide. One witch featured in the exhibition, whose story we had previously encountered was Janet Horne from Dornoch, Sutherland. Her daughter had a physical disability and locals alleged this was the result of Janet's witchcraft practices. Apparently she had the power to turn the girl into a horse, shod by Satan. The tales sound bizarre in the context of today, but they often led to a person being condemned to a gruesome death. Sadly, we don't even know the accused lady's real name, as "Janet Horne" was a placeholder assigned to her. No records of the "trial" survive. Janet was executed in 1727, reportedly the last judicial victim of this process. A stone within a private garden marks the spot where she was strangled and burned at the stake, although the memorial is erroneously inscribed with the year1722. We viewed the stone while passing by, a number of years ago. Dornoch (and the nearby village of Embo) was a common holiday destination for us. My parents used to own a static caravan up there.

The tales of the other women featured in the exhibition were equally harrowing. Janet Cornfoot was one of seven people rounded up in Pittenweem after a 16-year-old boy began suffering hallucinations. The accused were subjected to pricking, beatings, starvation and sleep deprivation while being held in a dungeon for months. Some died there. Janet eventually "confessed" following repeated torture by the local minister. A brutal murder by lynch mob was the end result. Geillis Duncan from Tranent was a housemaid branded a witch by her employer, a town magistrate. He believed her ability to care for others was gained through unlawful means. After weeks of abuse, Geillis was stripped, shaved and examined for the tell-tale "devil's mark" - allegedly found on her neck. This was all part of a major witch hunt endorsed by King James VI and his privy council. He believed that storms delaying the arrival of his bride from Denmark were part of a grand conspiracy. The prejudice stretched from commoner to the highest echelons of royalty. A black period in Scotland's history, along with our despicable involvement in chattel slavery (where we punched well above our weight). Obviously in the 21st century, we cannot be held personally responsible for appalling acts that happened many generations ago, but I believe Scotland should acknowledge its more unsavoury times. Too many people try to dodge the issue by saying everyone else was at it, or they point the finger at the British Empire, conveniently omitting that Scots were at the forefront. The final part of the gallery display was a pinboard where visitors could attach notes outlining the various forms of prejudice still extant in society today.

Joseph Noel Paton

There are many examples of artists who didn't achieve major success in their own lifetime, but were greatly appreciated in later years. Vincent Van Gogh is one who springs to mind. The reverse can also be true. Sir Joseph Noel Paton (1821-1901) was one of the foremost Scottish painters in Victorian times. He was also a well-known sculptor and antiquary. In 1865 he was appointed Queen's Limner for Scotland - a member of the Royal Household. A knighthood followed two years later. Born and bred in Dunfermline, Paton's name has faded from view over the decades. A major exhibition in his hometown - organised with the full cooperation of his descendants - should raise awareness of a great Scottish talent.

Away from the easel, Paton was a quiet family man and there are few colourful tales regarding his social life, although he was certainly well connected, counting major figures such as Lewis Carroll, Oscar Wilde, Andrew Carnegie and the polymath John Ruskin among his personal friends. Born in Wooers Alley into a creative family, young Noel (as he preferred to be called) drew obsessively as a child and later attended Dunfermline Art Academy. He also studied at the Royal Academy in London, where made important artistic contacts that would last a lifetime. Back in Scotland, his career took off, exhibiting at the Royal Scottish Academy and providing drawings for high-end publications such as Shakespeare's The Tempest. In 1847, Paton won prizes for his detailed and daring fairy paintings and by 1850 he had been elected as a full member of the RSA. He also submitted designs for major monuments to William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. We attended the exhibition at Carnegie Museum on a Saturday morning, having filled up beforehand with a Full Scottish at Wetherspoons, which was quite a plateful. For an extra £1.56, you can make unlimited trips to the coffee machine. 'Spoons supremo Tim Martin isn't universally liked, but his establishments provide food and drink at affordable prices and range of real ales are always available. The gallery was fairly quiet and we had ample time and space to absorb everything. The painting above (from 1867) is the work of John Ballantyne. It shows Paton relaxing in his studio at George Square, Edinburgh. Surrounded by books and newspapers, the artwork conveys the sense of a scholarly mind. A fairy painting is in progress on the easel. Maquettes of monument designs stand in the background. Paton married Margaret (Maggie) Ferrier in 1858. They moved to Edinburgh and had 11 children in total. Defying the stereotype of the aloof Victorian father, Paton took a keen interest in his offspring and family life featured heavily in his artistic output. Sustaining their lifestyle often meant painting to order, or making smaller copies of acclaimed work. Paton found neither activity pleasurable but it kept the show on the road. He often worked on several projects simultaneously and in later life he came fifth in a list of the greatest living Scotsmen, published by the Scotsman newspaper. "How funny" - he is said to have remarked. A greater source of pride was being awarded the freedom of his native Dunfermline in 1882.

Victorian society had a fascination for the supernatural. Fairies, goblins and changelings filled the imagination of poets, writers and painters. The idea of a world not bound my human rules and morals appealed greatly. It may also have been a reaction to the effect of expanding heavy industry blighting the countryside. Largely unique to the British Isles, fairy paintings could be used as an allegory to represent a political or religious view. Folklore was also present in the concept of national identities. The Quarrel of Oberon and Titania 1849, pictured above) depicts a scene from A Midsummer Night's Dream. The painting won an award when first shown at the Royal Scottish Academy and it was later taken overseas for the grand Paris Exhibition in 1855. Numerous tales are woven into the artwork, all taking place against a backdrop of quirky flora and fauna. The erotic nature of the painting probably had be to presented within a fantasy landscape in order to gain acceptance in a society that was notably straight-laced, at least on the surface. Paton was fascinated by the struggle between good and evil. He explored these themes in many pieces. He was also a keen student of Scottish history, his great grandfather having fought in the 1715 Jacobite Rising, and his great uncles at Culloden thirty years down the line. He illustrated a book about Mary, Queen of Scots and upon meeting the present monarch Victoria for the first time, his young son Diarmid is said to have turned away, exclaiming "you are the wicked person who killed our beautiful Queen Mary" - prompting Victoria to explain that, no, she wasn't actually Queen Elizabeth the First of England. Paton was president of the Dunfermline Celtic Society and two of his biggest disappointments were not being chosen to design the memorials for William Wallace in Stirling and the Wars of Independence at Charlotte Square, Edinburgh. His application to design a Prince Albert monument for the Scottish capital was successful, but lack of funding led to the scheme being scrapped.

As Queen's Limner, Paton was invited by Victoria to paint a royal portrait of the sovereign and here nine children, grouped around a marble bust of the late consort. Paton enjoyed a warm relationship with the Queen but he was unable to finish the painting due to a sudden bout of influenza. He did however complete three other commissions by the Palace. Another notable project was the design of three stained glass windows for Dunfermline Abbey. The art form had fallen out of favour following the Reformation but came back into vogue during Victorian times and there was renewed interest in medieval religious art all across Europe. The individual pieces of glass were arranged on a drawn template called a cartoon, then assembled using lead strips and solder. Three preliminary sketches for the abbey's Great West Window (loaned by the Paton family) were on display at the exhibition. Commissioned by Andrew Carnegie, the finished work - also known as the Patriot's Window - can be found in an older part of the church. Costing £2000 in total - a significant sum in those days - Carnegie wanted the design to highlight the connection between Dunfermline and certain major figures in Scottish history. Both William Wallace and Robert the Bruce are featured, along with St Margaret and Malcolm Canmore. Also on display were cartoons for another window in the abbey. This one depicted the Last Supper and three of the sketches are pictured above. The piece was installed in 1904, three years after Paton's death. His beloved Maggie had passed away 12 months before. Brother Waller Hugh Paton was also an accomplished painter and I have long admired his impression of Preston Island, near Culross. The exhibition certainly benefitted from having direct input from the Paton family and there was a video interview with Noel's great great granddaughter. One of Dunfermline's most famous sons is rightfully being re-examined.

Christmas lights switch-on

I love strolling through town centres towards the end of the year when the Christmas illuminations twinkle. They bring joy to the ever-shortening days as the festive season approaches. I had never actually been to a switching-on ceremony but the programme of events in Dunfermline caught my eye. Particularly the appearance of the Red Hot Chili Pipers on stage as the headline act. Although the chosen date was rather early (November 17), the plan was to fill the town with Christmas cheer, starting with an artisan street market at 11am. A funfair was booked for Pittencrieff Park (the Glen) and live music scheduled to run throughout the afternoon at the Glen Gates.

I fancied attending the actual switch-on and watching the two main musical acts - N Trance and the Pipers. After a few hours of birdwatching in Leven, Nicole dropped me off in Dunfermline and I made my way through the park via a side door. I passed the funfair rides and various stalls before arriving at the grand entrance gates. A large stage had been erected on the cobbled ground at the bottom of the High Street and a professional sound and lighting system was in full swing. An American DJ in full Santa garb was pumping out the tunes and whipping up the substantial crowd. Unfortunately I didn't get his name but he did a great job of priming the audience for the impending celebration. I found space on the shallow terrace to the side of the stage and my view was partially obscured by a large Christmas tree, which I assumed would shortly be lit up. It was a decent spot with some height and I didn't fancy plunging into the throng which stretched quite a distance up the narrow bottom end of the High Street. We were informed a ceremonial parade would soon be arriving and the crowd standing upon the road was requested to part in order to let the marchers through. This seemed rather optimistic as the mass of people were pretty tightly packed. Fortunately everyone cooperated, although it did take a while for the procession to squeeze around the tight bend in front of the gates and it was impossible to see what was actually happening, even with my in-built advantage of being over six feet tall. Eventually a count-down was started and the lights came on, much to everyone's joy on this clear and still night. Couldn't have hoped for better weather conditions. N Trance hit the stage and we were suddenly transported back to the 90s, much to the delight of the parents of young family groups. Dance music was never really my scene but there's no denying the catchy nature of the tunes. N Trance scored a number-2 hit in 1995 with Set You Free, in the days when you had to sell hundreds of thousands of physical copies to reach the upper echelons of the charts. Original vocalist Kelly Llorena still fronts the group and they gig regularly around the UK, most likely on the nostalgia circuit, but there's a good living to be earned by reminding people of their youth. Tonight's high energy set was well received, with Llorena's soaring vocals complemented by MC B's rhythmic rapping.

Not to be confused with a Californian act bearing a remarkably similar name, The Red Hot Chili Pipers - as the pun suggests - fuse classic rock music with bagpipe blasts. They have been touring internationally since 2007, building their success on the back of winning a BBC talent show entitled When Will I Be Famous, hosted by Graham Norton. Their second album Bagrock to the Masses (2008) was awarded gold status in the UK, for 100,000 units sold. An impressive figure for a niche form of music. The Celtic core of the band comprises three sets of pipes and a drummer playing the marching snare. The other musicians play conventional rock instruments: electric guitar, bass, keyboards and a drum kit. The material ranged from AC/DC to traditional Scottish tunes and vocalist Colette Neil handled the songs with ease. There were also instrumental sections with Highland dancers performing. A super slick set with top-notch musicianship on display. The crowd had thinned somewhat prior to the Chilis coming on, due to previous delays and the fact it was almost past teatime for families, many of whom had no doubt come primarily to see the Christmas lights. I was therefore able to get closer to the stage and take a few decent photos with my iPhone. The folks who remained were treated to a masterful hour of entertainment by a band honed by constant touring around Europe and America. Great to see so many people turning out to support the event. It created a definite feel-good factor.