From sinner

Although there are several guys who wander round St Andrews wearing kilts, the most frequent sightings are arguably of Dr Peter G. Maxwell-Stuart, an authority on the occult sciences, magic and witchcraft.

An honorary lecturer at St Andrews, Dr Maxwell-Stuart has previously taught honours-level history modules on magic and witchcraft, and continues to teach Latin at postgraduate level.  His classes are amongst the best the university has to offer, and as well as learning the language, you will pick up some fascinating information along the way. 

Interestingly, although he wears his kilt around St Andrews, when he takes the train into Edinburgh (he can often be found working in the National Library or the National Archives), Dr Maxwell-Stuart tends to wear trousers, claiming that he gets pestered by tourists who want their photo taken with him if he is in his kilt.

He is a fantastic public speaker and has been known to give public lectures in St Andrews. These are well-worth attending if you have an interest in magic and witchcraft.

His recent publications include:

• Witch Hunters: Professional Prickers, Unwitchers & Witch-Finders of the Renaissance (Tempus, 2004)
  
• The Occult in Mediaeval Europe (Palgrave, 2005)
  
• Wizards: A History of the Ritual Magician (Tempus, 2005)
  
• An Abundance of Witches (Tempus, 2006)
  
• The Archbishops of Canterbury (Tempus, 2006)
  
• Ghosts, A History (Tempus, 2007)
  
• Edited Translation of the Malleus Maleficarum (Manchester University Press 2007)
  
• 'The contemporary historical debate, 1400-1800', in Davie & Blécourt: The Historiography of Witchcraft (Manchester University Press 2007)