This is where folklore and ancient history meet head on. In the field due north is the Camie's Stone and the Clovenstone is a massive rock where various witches, including Isobel Cockie had their cases judged. (fate dealt more likely!) By this time, my sidekick had arrived so the Mad Man climbed up and down for the images. (His better half having more sense brought along some much needed tea!) Looking up and down at this rock, and I know other people feel things at such places, I felt a sense of foreboding and doom. Maybe because of Deystone, various unfortunate witchs, maybe because of an ancient battle between the locals and the Danes. Dunno! Hard to describe, but similar to the feelings I get when I visit Culloden.
Clovenstone is found traveling north of Kintore on the A96, the farm is signposted. Keep going straight, don't turn the rock is to the north (150 meters walk max.) just before Clovenstone farm.
"The persistent tradition is that witches were executed here; this maybe a memory of the fact that a court did judge a witch at the stone. 1595 had a case from 'This Court of ye Burgh of Kintore, holden at ye Cloven Stone'. In this instance the court acquitted two men of striking Isobel Cockie, on the self-defence grounds that she was 'in ane distemper, and they were forced to put her out of doors'. This was at least a year before she was investigated for witchcraft."
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Posted by drewbhoy
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