Grizel Weir - A fine dividing line

At the top end of the Bow were the White smiths (tin smiths). Though their trade was noisy, they themselves were extremely pious and were dubbed ‘The Bow Head Saints’.

Major Weir and his sister Grizel lived in this community. Their father was a clergyman, but their mother was thought to be a sorceress. Major Weir was an Elder of the Church and often gave sermons. His sister confessed to being a witch.

In 1670, the Major aged 72, instead of his usual sermon, started swearing and saying dreadful things. Grizel was saying the same things. It was hushed up, but it did not cease. After a few months, doctors were called in. They said it was a case of expunging a bad conscience and should be aired in court.

Grizel said they should confiscate the Staff - which was duly done. She said that they had been spirited to Musselburgh where they had sold their souls to the devil and that he had given them the staff in return. (Another version says that they went to Dalkeith and that the Major had always had the staff - he could not speak a sermon without it.)

They were sentenced to hang and burn at the stake. The Major was hung at Leith. The staff was burned too- It was said to dance in the flames. At her death Grizel declared she wanted to die with all the shame she could muster and promptly stripped herself naked before climbing the steps to the gallows.

No-one would take up residence in the Weir’s house for over 100 years as it was said to be haunted. It was eventually demolished.

Source - Traditions of Edinburgh by Robert Chambers.