Cairters_Corner

Tick tock tick tock..... Time is running out for rankers!!!

Looking forward to dusting down the old grave-dancing shoes!! f**k them!!!

Good call

Thanks Tom

ONE of the darkest chapters in Paisley's past was revisited when a poignant ceremony took place in memory of seven people who were killed and then set on fire 300 years ago after being labelled witches. Mystery and intrigue has long surrounded the slaying of the so-called 'Paisley witches' back in the 17th century. They were strangled at the stake on the Gallow Green in the West End of Paisley and then their bodies were burned on a blazing bonfire. Afterwards, their charred remains were buried at Maxwellton Cross at a site marked by a horseshoe and a circle of cobblestones. Now the victims have been remembered at a special service arranged by the Paisley Development Trust and held at the Gallow Green, off Queen Street, to mark the anniversary of the deaths. Paisley businessman Piero Pieraccini, chairman of the PDT, and local historian Les Fernie both spoke at the service, which was attended by Paisley councillor Eileen McCartin and film-maker Paul Mothersole, who previously produced The Legacy of the Glen Cinema documentary. A wreath carrying the message 'Pain inflicted, suffering endured, injustice done' was also laid at the site on behalf of the people of Paisley. Piero said: "Les gave a short story about each of the seven people who were killed. It was a gruesome event. "Then I spoke about how Paisley folk made a mistake back then as they were led by their masters. We laid that mistake to rest by acknowledging the fact that we were wrong and that it is time to look to the future. "The seven people were condemned, executed and sentenced by law at that time and we would like a pardon for them. We have asked Provost Celia Lawson about getting a symbolic pardon but she can't do this because it is a legal matter." The alleged Paisley witches – who were simply ordinary countrymen and women who used herbal remedies and forecast the weather by studying natural phenomena such as the flight patterns of birds and the behaviour of cattle – had been found guilty of putting a spell on 11-year-old Christian Shaw, the daughter of the wealthy Laird of Bargarran. The child, who nowadays may have been diagnosed with the attention-seeking Munchausen's Syndrome, accused the 'witches' of causing her to float through the air and regurgitate bones, fur, feathers, sticks and stones. They vigorously denied the allegations but a court consisting of local ministers, wealthy landowners and government officials found them guilty and sentenced them to death. In accordance with the laws of the time, they were taken to the Gallow Green and executed on June 10, 1697. The gruesome scenes included the sorry spectacle of young brothers John and James Lindsay, from Formakin Mill, near Houston, aged just 11 and 14, clutching each other's hands as they were garrotted together. Katherine Campbell was carried struggling and screaming to the stake, where she called down the wrath of God and the Devil on her accusers. The other victims were Margaret Fulton, John Lindsay, Margaret Lang and Agnes Naysmith, who laid 'a dying woman's curse' on all those present at the scene and their descendents. For many years afterwards, Paisley tragedies – including the Paisley Canal disaster in 1810, which claimed 85 lives – were attributed to what many Buddies described as 'the witches' curse.'

Paisley gets its missing memorial horseshoe back thanks to the Paisley Daily Express A UNIQUE piece of Paisley history which mysteriously vanished can now be returned to its rightful place – thanks to every Buddie's favourite newspaper. Earlier this month, the Paisley Daily Express revealed that the horseshoe memorial at Maxwellton Cross – which was installed in memory of seven people who were killed and then set on fire 300 years ago after being labelled witches – had gone missing. We asked for our readers to help find the missing horseshoe – and quickly discovered, due to a bit of luck, that it had been handed into a police station for safekeeping. Mystery and intrigue has long surrounded the slaying of the so-called witches in the 17th century. They were strangled at the stake on the Gallow Green in the West End of Paisley and then had their bodies burned on a blazing bonfire. Afterwards, their charred remains were buried at Maxwellton Cross at a site marked by a horseshoe and a circle of cobblestones. Paisley folklore at the time decreed that, so long as the horseshoe was there, the town would prosper and many people believed that, when the original horseshoe disappeared in the 1970s, that led to a period of decline for Buddies. Two years ago, the Paisley Development Trust unveiled a new stainless steel and bronze horseshoe piece, which was sculpted by world-famous Sandy Stoddart. The tondo – a Renaissance term for a circular work of art – sat in the middle of the busy junction at Maxwellton Street and George Street and included the inscription 'Pain Inflicted, Suffering Endured, Injustice Done.' Bosses at the Paisley Development Trust were devastated when the horseshoe went missing but are now delighted to have been reunited with the unusual artefact. We were able to arrange for Trust chairman Piero Pieraccini to collect the horseshoe after one of our readers called to say it had been handed into Renfrew police station. It is believed a heavy lorry dislodged the horseshoe while trundling over it and it was then given to the police. Piero said: "I am delighted to get it back, thanks to help from the Express. It is an important, symbolic piece of Paisley's history. "Paisley folk wrongly convicted and killed these seven people, who were simply misunderstood. For us to honour them, we need to have the horseshoe there at Maxwellton Cross." The mass execution at Gallow Green was one of the darkest days in Paisley's history. The alleged witches, who were simply ordinary countrymen and women who used herbal remedies and forecast the weather by studying natural phenomena like the flight patterns of birds and the behaviour of cattle, had been found guilty of putting a spell on 11-year-old Christian Shaw, the daughter of the wealthy Laird of Bargarran. The child, who nowadays may have been diagnosed with the attention-seeking Munchausen's Syndrome, accused the 'witches' of causing her to float through the air and regurgitate bones, fur, feathers, sticks and stones. They vigorously denied the allegations but a court consisting of local ministers, wealthy landowners and government officials found them guilty and sentenced them to death. In accordance with the laws of the time, they were taken to the Gallow Green, just off Castle Street, and executed on June 10, 1697. The gruesome scenes included the sorry spectacle of young brothers John and James Lindsay, from Formakin Mill, near Houston, aged just 11 and 14, clutching each other's hands as they were garrotted together. Katherine Campbell was carried struggling and screaming to the stake, where she called down the wrath of God and the Devil on her accusers. The other victims were Margaret Fulton, John Lindsay, Margaret Lang and Agnes Naysmith, who laid 'a dying woman's curse' on all those present at the scene and their descendents.

The curse of the Horseshoe at Maxwellton Cross appears to have returned, the Horseshoe has went missing although heavy traffic is being blamed on its dissapearance. The Horseshoe has dissapeared just seven days before the Aniversary of the hangings which took place on June 10th 1697. Reward of £50 and a Glen Cinema DVD is on offer to anyone who can return the horseshoe. The new Horseshoe shall cost £375 to replace and donations towards its replacement would be more than welcome donations can be sent or handed in to Piero at hamishes House or if you have a carpark thats normaly empty on a Saturday or Sunday why not hold a carboot sale to aid the funding of the new Horseshoe ? pictured below, old horseshoe , instalation of new horseshoe and horseshoe in place.

I will also be there fellow fud, another 90 miles

Are any fuds going on saturday?

Think I might go to this, anyone else?

ive just registered, f**king hate that lot with a passion

done best of luck with your studies

the argyll is the place to be