Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: witchcraft

The first document to refer to the town is from 1075, when Malcolm III granted the settlement to the church of Dunfermline. David I later gave the burgh to Dunfermline Abbey, which had succeeded the church: a status which was officially recognised by Robert I in 1327. The town only gained its independence from Abbey rule when it was created a royal burgh by Charles I in 1644. Adam Smith, economist and philosopher who was a pioneer in the thinking of political economy, was born in Kirkcaldy in 1723. The oldest church is the Old Kirk, consecrated in 1244 to St Brisse and St Patrick. The building's deterioration in the late 18th century was addressed by major renovations to the church between 1807 and 1808. Only the square western tower, which dates from around 1500, was retained and is now the oldest building to have survived within the old burgh. Today it is used for musical and dramatic performances. In 1636 Alison Dick and her husband William Coke were condemned to deat for the crime of witchraft. Alison was locked in the Old Kirk tower befor she and her husband were both executed by burning.

The Romans have been here -on the banks of the Danube- for about 400 years. When they withdrew a group of Bavarii settled here, lead by a person named Strupo. Accordingly the settlement was called Strupinga - and today is Straubing. Today the center of the town is about 500 meters east, the old center was right here, all around the Carolingian predecessor of the church of St. Peter. St. Peter, built around 1200, is a sober Romanesque basilica. The structure of the church looks very "complete", what is the result of the reconstruction of the 19th century. Probably since the old days the church is surrounded by a graveyard. Some of the old monuments are more than 400 years old. The graveyard has three old chapels. Unfortunately the chapels were locked, due to some kind of vandalism, that had taken place (that was what I learned from the paper at the door). I could only hold my camera inside - and so got this photo. This is the interior of the "Totenkapelle", built in 1486. The frescos ("Totentanz") on the right are Baroque (1763). Actually, I had hoped to see the "Agnes-Bernauer-Kapelle", built in 1436 over the grave of Agnes, who was drowned after a false accusation (witchcraft) in the Danube by command of Ernest, Duke of Bavaria, in 1435. The tragic end of a touching love story between Agnes Bernauer - and Ernest´s son Albrecht, who later became Albert III, Duke of Bavaria. If you want to read more about this story follow the link to Blutenburg below.

Already in 1131 a church, dedicated to St. Martin of Tours, existed in "Wisebenne", what now is Wiesbaum. A new parish church was erected in 1928, as the old, still existing one, was not suitable any longer. Here is the oldone, erected around 1500, surrounded by the graveyard. I learned that in the 17th century a local pastor was tried and found guilty of witchcraft, whereupon he was sentenced to be burnt as a warlock