Allison Balfour

Road to Ireland, Orkney (geograph 1990596)

Allison Balfour
Born	c. 1530 Orkney, Scotland
Died	16 December 1595 Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland
Cause of death	Execution by burning
Known for	Accused of witchcraft

Allison Balfour (c. 1530 – 16 December 1595) was a Scottish woman who was executed for witchcraft in Orkney, Scotland. Her case is one of the most notable examples of the witch trials that took place in Scotland during the late 16th century.

Background

Allison Balfour was born around 1530 in Orkney, an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland. Little is known about her early life, but she lived during a time when fear of witchcraft and sorcery was widespread in Europe. The Scottish Witchcraft Act 1563 made the practice of witchcraft a capital offense, leading to numerous trials and executions.

Accusation and Trial

In 1595, Balfour was accused of witchcraft and brought to trial in Kirkwall, the largest town in Orkney. The charges against her included causing the illness of a local nobleman, Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney. Balfour was subjected to torture to extract a confession, a common practice during the witch trials of the time.

Execution

Despite the lack of concrete evidence, Balfour was found guilty of witchcraft and sentenced to death. On 16 December 1595, she was executed by burning at the stake in Kirkwall. Her execution is remembered as a tragic example of the hysteria and injustice that characterized the witch hunts in Scotland.

Legacy

Allison Balfour's case is often cited in discussions about the Scottish witch trials and the broader European witch hunts. Her story highlights the dangers of superstition and the consequences of legal systems that rely on torture and coerced confessions.

See also

• Scottish Witchcraft Act 1563
• Witch trials in early modern Scotland
• Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney
• Kirkwall

Further reading

• Witchcraft in Scotland
• History of Orkney