The story of a storm raising witch is based upon historical fact and island myth.

Janet Forsyth lived in Westray in the 17th century.

In 1627, Janet dreamed that she saw her fisherman sweetheart, Benjamin Garrioch, perish at sea.

The following day, Garrioch, and his colleagues set sail on their fishing expedition not heeding the warning of her premonition.
Whilst out at sea, a thick fog descended and the men never returned.

Janet, heart broken and desolate, shut herself away in a solitary existence and because of her dream, The people of Westray blamed her for the fog and the loss of their men folk.

During the 17th Century witch hunts were at their zenith and like many solitary women of the time Janet was branded a witch.

From that time on, stormy weather was blamed on Janet’s alleged witchcraft.

When Janet spotted a boat in trouble a few years later, she tried to get the islanders to help.  Nobody was interested in her plea, so she took her small boat and set off to help the storm stricken vessel.  Janet managed to safely guide the boat back to the safety of Pierowall bay.

The islander’s seeing and hearing of this courageous deed decided that she was indeed a witch, as only witchcraft could lead her through the storm and bring the men to safety.

Janet Forsyth was put on trial in Kirkwall On November 11, 1629 and found guilty of witchcraft, for which the sentence was death by burning.

The story goes that as the sentence was being delivered Janet looked up into the onlooking crowd to see her lover Benjamin Garrioch.  Now in a naval uniform. He had been press ganged into the Navy and not lost at sea at all.

It is alleged that she screamed “save me, Ben” as she was dragged to Marwick’s Hole, the dungeon in St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall.

The next day, when she was due for execution, her captors arrived to find Marwick’s Hole empty. Janet being thought spirited away by her sweetheart.

Orkney and indeed the island of Westray have long had a scary reputation as a haven for witches and warlocks. You can find out much about their stories and those of fairy folk and Hogboons on the Orkneyjar website.

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It is rare to come accross a true craftsman, who is not only making traditional furniture from scratch but is preserving a piece of the Orkney heritage with passion and well researched knowledge.

One of Fraser's traditional chairs

The traditional Orkney Chair maker, Fraser Anderson creates a range of award winning traditional furniture, building on the legacy of the distinctive Orkney chair and his passion for the art is infectious.  Get talking to Fraser and you will learn more about the true history of the piece of Orkney Furniture than could possibly be learned from museums and visitor centres.

Fraser says;

The Orkney chair is a traditional piece of furniture dating back many hundreds of years.

While many of the old straw crafts have died out, the Orkney chair is still in production, taking pride of place in the home of many Orcadians as well as being shipped all over the world.

Originally the chairs were made completely of straw, the only wooden part being the four feet protruding from the bottom.

Due to the lack of trees suitable for furniture production on the islands, driftwood thrown up on the beach was often used.

Developed through local tradition, the Orkney chair originated from a simple piece of furniture that the islanders could make for themselves with what materials were readily available.

In its very early stages it was nothing more than a low round stool covered with straw. It was then developed into a low chair by the addition of a straw back some two feet in height.

The short stumpy legs of older chairs kept the person sitting in the chair close to the ground to avoid the smoke from the open fires, which were in the middle of the room in the old farm crofts.

The addition of a hood to the chair gave the occupant shelter from draughts, but not all people liked the idea of being enclosed.

A drawer was also added for the man of the house the keep his personal belongings in.

A chair back that has a proper shape should rise up straight for some fourteen rows, depending on arm height, and then start to slope outwards, thereby supporting the lower and upper back of the sitter.

Originally designed by crofters, the chair is an optimum shape that keeps the heat in and the coldness out.

Nowadays the Orkney chair is displayed with a decorative as well as functional purpose. One very important thing that has remained unchanged, is the way in which the Orkney chair is constructed.

Only the best locally grown straw is used to make the backs, which are intricately woven by hand.

Fraser even makes his own chair frames, ensuring that each creation is unique and genuine. Originally made from driftwood found on nearby shores, the frames are now generally made from the best quality wood available and beautifully finished by hand.

Orkney rocker chair

Standing in his workshop, the smells of the wood mingling with the straw, we discussed the intricacies of the construction process and were delighted to see that a selection of very old chairs were undergoing restoration.

Some of the more modern creations include a round backed and rocking chair version, the latter being a particular favourite of mine.

See Fraser Anderson at work

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