This disused dovecote situated on the north side of Tranent was
constructed in the 16th century. It was originally built to house
1122 pairs of pigeons. Due to the problems caused by such
concentrations of pigeons an act was passed in 1617 prohibiting any
more being built.
This particular dove-cot belonged to one David Seton, the Deputy
Bailiff for Tranent, most famous for his involvement in the crusade
against witchcraft in 1591. David Seton accused his own servant,
Gellie Duncan, of being a witch because he could not understand how
she could so selflessly help the ill and needy and also because
she, as a peasant, had procured knowledge of leech-craft in order
to help cure diseases.
He interrogated Gellieas to how and by what means she had
learned to treat cases of suchimportance, and her answers not being
satisfactory, he with the assistance of others endeavored to wring
the truth from her by torture. He crushed her fingers in an
instrument called the pilliwinkis, or thumb-screws, and that
failing he bound and wrenched her head with a cord or rope, which
produced excruciating agony. But Gellie remained obdurate and would
confess nothing.
Then her body was examined and the mark of the Devil found upon
her throat. It was believed that Satan put a mark upon all who had
enlisted into his service, which mark was recognisable by the part
being bloodless and insensible to pain. It is related that Gellie,
on the discovery of the mark, made a full and complete confession.
She admitted that her attention to the sick had been done at the
wicked suggestion of the Devil, and that her cures were effected by
witchcraft. She disclosed the names of thirty accomplices, some of
them the wives of respectable citizens of Edinburgh, whose conduct
had till then been irreproachable. These were all apprehended and
lodged in prison.
Further information can be found by researching the North
Berwick Witch Trials.
The cache is located near the doocot. I would suggest parking at
either Meadowmill sport centre or the carpark opposite the Brigg
Inn, Tranent and then walking to the cache. Both Dovecot Brae or
Brickworks Road are unsurfaced roads and not acesable by car. There
are several steep, narrow steps leading up to the doocot and the
cache.
