Discover the Tale Behind Edinburgh's Famous Wizard

Around Edinburgh, especially its Old Town, a lot of mysterious stories are to be found. For example Major Weir, a wizard who lived near the Grassmarket. He used to send his walking stick on errands! Some say he was the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Discover the story and mystery behind the famous wizard on your Tales and Mysteries Tour of Scotland with Celtic Tours.

Weir was a Scottish Covenanter who professed a particularly strict form of Presbyterianism, and whose spoken prayers were popular and attracted visitors to his home in Edinburgh. He lived on West Bow with his sister Jean, who is also known as Grizel. There are many stories on how his secret life of witchcraft and sorcery got out. One story is that he took ill and spilled the story on his sick bed. He was convicted in a hugely talked-about trial in April of 1670, and sentenced to be strangled then burned at the stake. Weir was burned to death at Gallowlee. He was the last man to be burned for witchcraft in Scotland.

Weir's staff was said to have a life of its own, carrying out Weir's evil orders as well as his errands. Made of black thornwood and carved with satyr heads, Weir's staff was said to be the source of his powers.


Discover the story and mystery behind the famous wizard on your Tales and Mysteries Tour of Scotland with Celtic Tours.