Other editions of book Witch Wood

Set against the religious struggles and civil wars of 17th century Scotland, John Buchan’s gripping atmospheric tale in the spirit of Stevenson and Neil Munro pitches a moderate Presbyterian minister, young David Sempill against extremists of his faith even as the defeated remnants of Montrose’s men are being harried and slaughtered. But there are far more intriguing tales centering around the Melanudrigall Wood, a last remnant of the ancient Caledonian forest, with its black magic and deeper wonders, amid the more positive pre-Christian intimations of nature worship. In such setting, and faced with the onset of the plague, David Sempill’s struggle and eventual disappearance take on a strange and timeless dimension in what was John Buchan’s own favourite among his many novels

Set against the religious struggles and civil wars of seventeenth century Scotland, John Buchan’s gripping atmospheric tale in the spirit of Stevenson and Neil Munro. As a moderate presbyterian minister, young David Sempill disputes with the extremists of his faith, as all around, the defeated remnants of Montrose’s men are being harried and slaughtered. There are still older conflicts to be faced however, symbolised by the presence of the Melanudrigall Wood, a last remnant of the ancient Caledonian forest. Here there is black magic to be uncovered, but also the more positive pre-Christian intimations of nature worship. In such setting, and faced with the onset of the plague, David Sempill’s struggle and eventual disappearance take on a strange and timeless aspect in what was John Buchan’s own favourite among his many novels.

Set against the religious struggles and civil wars of seventeenth century Scotland, John Buchan’s gripping atmospheric tale in the spirit of Stevenson and Neil Munro. As a moderate presbyterian minister, young David Sempill disputes with the extremists of his faith, as all around, the defeated remnants of Montrose’s men are being harried and slaughtered. There are still older conflicts to be faced however, symbolised by the presence of the Melanudrigall Wood, a last remnant of the ancient Caledonian forest. Here there is black magic to be uncovered, but also the more positive pre-Christian intimations of nature worship. In such setting, and faced with the onset of the plague, David Sempill’s struggle and eventual disappearance take on a strange and timeless aspect in what was John Buchan’s own favourite among his many novels.

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John Buchan's own favourite among his novels, in which he dealt with the hypocrisy which can lie close to the surface of apparently god-fearing respectability. The story is set in the Scottish Borders during the civil war and the main character is the new young minister in a small village. The minister wrestles with his own christian faith as opposed to the severe presbyterianism of the Kirk and also has to deal with a pagan coven, a wounded soldier from Montrose's defeated army as well as falling in love. The story itself is breathlessly exciting – a real page-turner – and Buchan's characters really live, from the young minister David, with his gradual disillusionment with the Kirk he is pledged to serve to the grace and gaiety of Buchan's most attractive and well drawn heroine, Katrine Yester.

Novel about mysterious events in seventeenth-century rural Scotland. At the time the novel appeared, Samuel Merwin commented that "His [Buchan's] knowledge and his sense of the past seem to me to find their best outlet in this new book... He has taken an old border legend, of a gentle country minister, supposed to have been spirited away by the fairies in the dark wood of Melanudrigill, and has breathed an astonishing life into it." (Saturday Review, 13 August 1927)

In a prologue to the novel, the narrator recalls legends of the time, 300 years ago, when the minister of the Kirk of Woodilee in the Scottish lowlands was spirited away by the fairies or – as some said – by the devil. The story opens in 1644 with the coming of David Sempill, newly-ordained minister of the Church of Scotland, to Woodilee, a parish passionate in its support of the Covenant. Sempill is less committed to strict doctrinal practices than many of the Covenanters, and he finds himself attracted to the creed of Mark Kerr, a fugitive and follower of Lord Montrose, supporter of the King and enemy of the Kirk. Soon afterwards, when Kerr is injured, the minister secretes him within the manse. One night in the feared Black Wood of Melanudrigill the minister stumbles across a diabolic rite in which figures wearing animal headpieces dance around a pagan altar. He later attempts to identify the ringleader and although unsuccessful manages to splash his clothes with pungent aniseed oil. The next day the wife of a prominent elder of the Kirk, Ephraim Caird, is discovered burning clothes on a fire which smells strongly of aniseed.

Novel about mysterious events in seventeenth-century rural Scotland. At the time the novel appeared, Samuel Merwin commented that "His [Buchan's] knowledge and his sense of the past seem to me to find their best outlet in this new book... He has taken an old border legend, of a gentle country minister, supposed to have been spirited away by the fairies in the dark wood of Melanudrigill, and has breathed an astonishing life into it."

Set against the religious struggles and civil wars of seventeenth century Scotland, John Buchan’s gripping atmospheric tale in the spirit of Stevenson and Neil Munro. As a moderate presbyterian minister, young David Sempill disputes with the extremists of his faith, as all around, the defeated remnants of Montrose’s men are being harried and slaughtered. There are still older conflicts to be faced however, symbolised by the presence of the Melanudrigall Wood, a last remnant of the ancient Caledonian forest. Here there is black magic to be uncovered, but also the more positive pre-Christian intimations of nature worship. In such setting, and faced with the onset of the plague, David Sempill’s struggle and eventual disappearance take on a strange and timeless aspect in what was John Buchan’s own favourite among his many novels.443 pages, with a reading time of ~6.75 hours (110,910 words), and first published in 1927.

Novel about mysterious events in seventeenth-century rural Scotland. At the time the novel appeared, Samuel Merwin commented that "His [Buchan's] knowledge and his sense of the past seem to me to find their best outlet in this new book... He has taken an old border legend, of a gentle country minister, supposed to have been spirited away by the fairies in the dark wood of Melanudrigill, and has breathed an astonishing life into it." (Saturday Review, 13 August 1927).

In a prologue to the novel, the narrator recalls legends of the time, 300 years ago, when the minister of the Kirk of Woodilee in the Scottish lowlands was spirited away by the fairies or – as some said – by the devil. The story opens in 1644 with the coming of David Sempill, newly-ordained minister of the Church of Scotland, to Woodilee, a parish passionate in its support of the Covenant. Sempill is less committed to strict doctrinal practices than many of the Covenanters, and he finds himself attracted to the creed of Mark Kerr, a fugitive and follower of Lord Montrose, supporter of the King and enemy of the Kirk. Soon afterwards, when Kerr is injured, the minister secretes him within the manse. One night in the feared Black Wood of Melanudrigill the minister stumbles across a diabolic rite in which figures wearing animal headpieces dance around a pagan altar. He later attempts to identify the ringleader and although unsuccessful manages to splash his clothes with pungent aniseed oil. The next day the wife of a prominent elder of the Kirk, Ephraim Caird, is discovered burning clothes on a fire which smells strongly of aniseed.