I could mention so many books and scholarly articles on Low Country (Scottish) folk magic, but I don't want to overwhelm beginners or curious seekers. So I've written up a list of books that I personally recommend and no, none of them are New Age or Neo Pagan crap. Please note that some of the books mentioned on the list are rare and hard to come by (they'll likely be expensive too).
I haven't put links to the scholarly papers for copyright reasons, but if you type them on Google Scholar you hopefully should be able to find them.
Note: Pan-British books are included on the list as they do include some Scottish folk magic traditions. **BOOK LIST**
Magic and Witchcraft in Scotland - Joyce Miller (2004)
The Visions of Isobel Gowdie: Magic, Shamanism and Witchcraft in Seventeenth-Century Scotland: Magic, Witchcraft and Dark Shamanism in Seventeenth-Century Scotland - Emma Wilby (2010)
Witchcraft and belief in Early Modern Scotland - Julian Goodare, Lauren Martin and Joyce Miller (2007)
Cunning-Folk and Familiar Spirits: Shamanistic Visionary Traditions in Early Modern British Witchcraft and Magic - Emma Wilby (2005)
Scottish Customs - Sheila Livingstone (1996)
Scottish Customs: From the Cradle to the Grave - Margaret Bennet (1992)
A History of Everyday Life in Scotland, 1600 to 1800 - Elizabeth A Foyster, Christopher A. Whatley (2010)
Religion and the Decline of Magic: Studies in Popular Beliefs in Sixteenth and Seventeenth-Century England - Keith Thomas (1971) **PAPER LIST**
Domestic Medicine in Early Modern Scotland, c. 1650 – c. 1750: Charlotte Holmes
Getting Shot of Elves: Healing, Witchcraft and Fairies in the Scottish Witchcraft Trials: Alaric Hall
Witch, Fairy and Folktale Narratives in the Trial of Bessie Dunlop: Lizanne Henderson
‘Detestable Slaves of the Devil’: Changing Ideas about Witchcraft in Sixteenth-Century Scotland: Lizanne Henderson
‘Devilische Wordis’: Speech as Evidence in Scotland’s Witch Trials, 1563-1736: Sierra Dye
" See ya na yon narrow road?": the search for Elfland in folklore of the Scottish border: M Howard (note: this paper has since disappeared off the internet and I have no way of finding it, despite being able to download it in 2024.)
To converse with the Devil? Speech, sexuality, and witchcraft in Early Modern Scotland: Sierra Dye
The Guid Neighbours: Fairy belief in Early Modern Scotland, 1500 - 1800: Lizanne Henderson
The Witch's Familiar and the Fairy in Early Modern England and Scotland: Emma Wilby.
