Grissell Jaffray

alt=A blue plaque commemorating Grisell Jaffray, the last woman to be executed as a witch there. The plain blue disc has the words Dundee Women's Trail along the top and the logo of the National Lottery at the bottom. Across the centre, it reads 'Grissel Jaffray, Spaewife?-1669'. Grissel Jaffray (? in Aberdeen – 1669 in Dundee) was a Scottish woman burned at the stake having been accused of witchcraft. Jaffray was one of an estimated 4000 to 6000 people who were tried during the Scottish Witch Trials of this period. She was the last person burned for witchcraft in Dundee and is commemorated in the city with a plaque and a mosaic marking the place of her execution.

Life Jaffray was born in Aberdeen and then moved to Dundee. Little is known about her life, however it is known that Jaffray married James Butchart, a Dundee Burgess, in 1615. It is suspected she was part of the influential Jaffrays of Aberdeen, where Alexander Jaffray was Provost in 1651.

Accusations and death Jaffray was accused of being a spaewife. Her husband was also charged. Before being burned, Jaffray was strangled. Her husband escaped execution and he finished his life in a poorhouse.

Jaffray's name is featured on a plaque that was installed on Peter Street as part of the Dundee Women's' Trail. There is also a mosaic on the ground of two torches, one filled with fire and the other with water, that allegedly marks the spot of her death.

Her life has inspired a book of fiction titled I Am Grissel Jaffray by Claire-Marie Watson, which won the Dundee 6000 award. alt=On Peter Street in Dundee, there is a mosaic on the ground commemorating Grisell Jaffray, the last woman to be burnt as a witch there. There are two elements to the mosaic, one representing fire and the other representing water. This image is of blue and gold mosaic tiles surrounded by cobble stones. One end of the mosaic commemorating Grissel Jaffray in Peter Street, Dundee. This part represents water.