Pagan Holiday August 1st August 1st is a significant date in the pagan calendar as it is associated with the celebration of Lammas or Lughnasadh. Lammas, also known as the Festival of First Fruits, is a harvest festival that marks the halfway point between the summer solstice and the autumn equinox. During Lammas, pagans honor the first harvest of the year and give thanks for the abundance of crops. It is a time of joy and gratitude for the bountiful harvest that sustains life. The main focus of the celebration is on the grains, especially wheat, which symbolizes the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Pagans often gather in outdoor spaces like fields or gardens to celebrate Lammas.
Ergot derivatives are the principal drugs used today to hasten labor and aid in the recovery from childbirth.
Digitalis Foxglove properties on the heart and circulation are said to have been discovered by an English witch and is still an important drug in treating heart ailments. These toxins include scopolamine and hyoscyamine, which cause bizarre delirium and hallucinations 1 and are also used as pharmaceutical anticholinergics.
Pagans often gather in outdoor spaces like fields or gardens to celebrate Lammas. They create altars adorned with fruits, vegetables, and flowers, which are offerings to nature and the gods. Rituals and ceremonies are performed to honor the earth and ask for continued blessings.
What do witches and nurses have in common?
Between 1563 and 1736, nearly 4,000 people were accused of being witches under Scotland’s Witchcraft Act. An estimated two-thirds of the accused, mostly women, were strangled and burned at the stake.
People were accused of witchcraft for many different reasons, but for some, actions taken to help care for sick neighbours or assist with childbirth would ultimately contribute to their downfall. At the 2021 RCN Foundation lecture, Professor Nicola Ring from Edinburgh Napier University will present new research into the connections between these witchcraft trials and early nursing and midwifery practices.
Using the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft (SSW), the research has identified those accused of witchcraft due to their folk healing or midwifery, and uncovers details about their caring and healing techniques.
Above: Three witches with a cat, a dog and a bird. Engraving, ca. 1800, after a woodcut, 1619. Wellcome Collection.
“Nursing history is my absolute passion,” says Nicola, who’s usually found teaching or supervising nursing students and conducting research into long-term conditions. “I think it’s important that we learn from and critique our history because it helps us understand how things are today.”
During the first lockdown, Nicola heard about the Witches of Scotland campaign – Claire Mitchell QC’s attempt to secure a posthumous pardon for those executed under the Witchcraft Act. Nicola contacted Claire to highlight links between witches and healers, and was introduced to the SSW. “Despite me being knowledgeable about the history of nursing, I never thought we could research these people, because I didn’t think records existed,” Nicola explains. “This conversation with Claire made me realise: actually, there’s data that we could access to find out more about these early practitioners. That gave me the idea for the project.”
There’s tantalising glimpses of what these healers and midwives were doing
Nicola teamed up with two colleagues, midwifery lecturer Nessa McHugh and child health nursing tutor Rachel Davidson-Welch. The trio secured funding from the RCN Foundation and embarked on “the perfect lockdown project” – with all the research conducted online, it was completely COVID-secure. Of 3,000 people on the SSW database, they found 142 whose witchcraft crimes related to their healing or midwifery practices.
In the witchcraft trial records, the focus was often on harm the healers or midwives were perceived to have caused. Perhaps they’d been caring for a neighbour who later died and were accused of poisoning them. Or, conversely, they’d overseen a recovery, which was then used as evidence of a pact or association with the devil. “Often there’s tantalising glimpses of what these healers and midwives were doing,” says Nicola. “You know they were giving out health drinks… but the trial records wouldn’t then say what was in the drink or what it was given for.”
Above: A witch holding a plant in one hand and a fan in the other. Woodcut, ca. 1700-1720. Wellcome Collection. Public Domain Mark
But there were some “patterns and trends”, such as the use of herbalism. “There were also a lot of traditional folklore-type practices or rituals reported. Maybe if somebody was giving birth, the midwife would put a protective circle of honeysuckle or woodbine around them; things like that were recorded. There were quite a lot of male healers as well, but often records would just say that they were using salves and unguents. You’re left thinking: ‘What for? What was in these?’”
The introduction of the Witchcraft Act intersected with Scotland’s religious Reformation – the move from Catholicism to Protestantism in 1560 – and the researchers found many people being accused of witchcraft due to their continued use of pre-Reformation healing practices. “They weren’t just providing physical healing, there was an element of addressing spiritual wellbeing as well, for example by using prayers,” Nicola says. “So some of what they were doing would have been acceptable practice pre-Reformation, but post-Reformation was not.”
We found records of healers and midwives whose curing and caring work has previously been overlooked in history
Nicola is interested in the parallels between these early nurses and modern nursing history. The spiritual side of 16th-century Scottish healing suggests connections to Florence Nightingale and other Victorian nurses who championed holistic care of the body and soul, something that is still considered essential in nursing today.
Being nurses and midwives, Nicola and her colleagues were able to spot hints of modern nursing and midwifery practice, which researchers from other disciplines might have missed. For example, mentions of dressings, and the importance of cleaning and washing patients and their clothes.
“Sometimes specific things they were using still apply, sometimes it was the principles of what they were doing that still resonate,” Nicola says. “Some of the women accused were also being assertive, standing up for themselves or their families. Others did not conform to social norms. Seeing all this, it’s fair to say that being accused as witches would’ve been the fate of myself, Rachel and Nessa.”
Above: The history of witches and wizards: giving a true account of all their tryals in England, Scotland, Swedeland, France, and New England; with their confession and condemnation / Collected from Bishop Hall, Bishop Morton, Sir Matthew Hale, etc. By W.P. Wellcome Collection.
Going into the project, Nicola was aware of the witch stereotype: “There is a ‘witch healer’ perception of an old, poor, uneducated woman.” Although many of the 142 accused did conform to this stereotype, many did not, for example they found a surprising number of men (17% – a higher proportion than in nursing and midwifery today).
Some cases were very harrowing. It’s clear that confessions were forced
“As we did the work, some people stood out, so we did more in-depth investigation of original sources for a few,” Nicola says. They conducted further research into 12 women and four men, including Agnes Sampsoune, who was: “one of Scotland’s best-known witches… a renowned midwife, who was caught up in the North Berwick witchcraft trials.”
King James VI and I was a driving force behind Scotland’s pursuit of alleged witches. In 1597 he published Daemonology – a book about black magic including arguments for why witches should be persecuted in a Christian society. “The king himself interrogated Agnes and was involved in her court procedures,” says Nicola. “But we also found records of healers and midwives whose curing and caring work has previously been overlooked in history. There are some interesting people, both women and men, and often doctors were practising in a similar way to them at the time.”
Above: Witchcraft: a bewitched woman vomiting. Woodcut, 1720. Wellcome Collection. Public Domain Mark
Conducting the research was disturbing at times. Those accused of witchcraft were often subjected to sleep deprivation during the trial process and some would be examined by witch prickers – people paid to find the mark of the devil on accused witches by stabbing them with long needles.
“We found examples of miscarriages of justice,” Nicola says. “Some cases were very harrowing. Many of those who were accused confessed, but it’s clear that their confessions were forced. Some of them were also accused of being in a demonic pact or seeing fairies, but if you hadn’t slept for several days, had been tortured, were in pain, had a wound infection, hadn’t been fed – it’s quite clear that would’ve contributed to why people said what they said. They didn’t deserve their fate.”
Nicola believes that analysing nursing history is good for the profession: “Too often the history of nursing is seen as starting with Florence Nightingale, but that’s not true. This project tells us more about early practitioners. It shows that many of the principles of what they were doing still apply within nursing today and has given us insight into the early history of our professions.
“We’re hoping that it sparks more interest in the history of nursing and midwifery and how knowing about the past helps us to understand our professions today.”
Words by Rachael Healy. Images courtesy of the Wellcome Collection.
Find out more
- Find out more about RCN Foundation and how to apply for research funding.
- Read more about the Witches of Scotland legal campaign and listen to their podcasts.
- Find out how to join the RCN History of Nursing Forum.
- Do you have any ancestors who were accused of witchcraft? Search the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft to find out.
Conducting the research was disturbing at times. Those accused of witchcraft were often subjected to sleep deprivation during the trial process and some would be examined by witch prickers – people paid to find the mark of the devil on accused witches by stabbing them with long needles.
One of the key figures associated with the August 1st celebration is the Celtic god Lugh. Lughnasadh, named after this deity, is a time to pay homage to Lugh's many talents and achievements. Lugh is considered the master of all skills, including craftsmanship, music, and poetry. Pagans may invoke Lugh's energy and seek his guidance to cultivate their own talents and passions. While Lammas is primarily a pagan holiday, its traditions and themes can resonate with people of different spiritual beliefs. It serves as a reminder to appreciate the abundance of nature and the importance of giving thanks for the blessings of the harvest. In summary, August 1st marks the celebration of Lammas or Lughnasadh, a pagan holiday that honors the first harvest of the year. It is a time for gratitude, rituals, and ceremonies to honor the earth, nature, and the Celtic god Lugh. Lammas reminds us to be thankful for the abundance in our lives and to recognize the cyclical nature of life..
Reviews for "The Magic of Lughnasadh: Harnessing the Energy of August 1st in Pagan Rituals"
1. John - 1/5 stars - I did not enjoy "Pagan holiday august 1st" at all. The storyline was confusing and disjointed, making it difficult for me to follow along. Additionally, the characters lacked development and I found it hard to connect with any of them. The pacing was also off, with certain scenes dragging on for too long while others felt rushed. Overall, I was disappointed with this film and would not recommend it.
2. Emily - 2/5 stars - "Pagan holiday august 1st" fell short of my expectations. The concept seemed interesting, but the execution was lacking. The cinematography was subpar, with poorly lit scenes and awkward camera angles. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it hard for the actors to convey their emotions convincingly. The film also failed to deliver a cohesive narrative, leaving me confused and frustrated. While it had potential, "Pagan holiday august 1st" ultimately failed to deliver a satisfying viewing experience.
3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I found "Pagan holiday august 1st" to be underwhelming. The plot lacked depth and failed to engage me throughout the film. The acting was mediocre at best, with unconvincing performances from the main cast. The pacing was also a major issue, as the film dragged on for what felt like an eternity. I was hoping for an intriguing exploration of pagan traditions, but instead, I was left bored and disinterested. Overall, I would not recommend "Pagan holiday august 1st" as it did not meet my expectations in terms of storytelling and execution.
4. Daniel - 3/5 stars - While "Pagan holiday august 1st" had its flaws, it had a few redeeming qualities. The visuals were stunning and captured the essence of the pagan festival. However, the film was lacking in terms of character development and pacing. The story felt disjointed and rushed, leaving me wanting more coherence. Despite its shortcomings, "Pagan holiday august 1st" still offered an intriguing glimpse into pagan traditions, but it could have been executed better.
5. Jennifer - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "Pagan holiday august 1st" but was ultimately disappointed. The film lacked substance and failed to deliver a compelling narrative. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it hard to connect with their experiences. The pacing was also an issue, with several scenes feeling unnecessary and dragging down the overall flow of the film. While there were glimpses of potential, "Pagan holiday august 1st" fell short of delivering a captivating viewing experience.