Let’s talk about a woman named Janet Horne. She holds an eerie title as the last person in Britain to be tried and executed for witchcraft. Back in 1727, Janet and her daughter found themselves in a bit of bother.
Janet’s daughter had this peculiar deformity in her hands and feet. The nosy neighbours, always ready for a juicy rumour, started spreading tales that the poor girl looked like she had hooves. And you know what they accused Janet of? They claimed she had transformed her daughter into a pony to prance around the countryside and perform witchcraft. According to them, those hooves were supposed to be the irrefutable evidence of their witchy ways!
Anyway, Janet’s legal options were about as limited as they come, and before she knew it, her trial was underway. The sheriff-depute of Sutherland, Captain David Ross, wasted no time in finding both Janet and her daughter guilty. He even ordered that they be burned alive the very next day. Talk about a rushed decision!
Now, here’s where it gets even crazier. While Janet’s daughter managed to pull off a daring escape, Janet herself seemed a bit…confused. Some might even say she displayed signs of what we’d now recognize as dementia. The townsfolk decided to give her a taste of humiliation before her tragic fate. They tarred and feathered her, parading her through the streets of Dornoch in a barrel. Can you imagine the spectacle?
But wait, it gets even more chilling. When they finally reached the spot where she was to be executed, Janet did something unexpected. She smiled. Yep, you heard that right. She smiled and even warmed herself by the very fire that was about to consume her; that’s how clueless she was as to what was actually happening to her.
To this day, you can still see the stone that marks the spot where Janet Horne met her fiery end. It’s in Littletown, but here’s the catch—the date on the stone is wrong. It says 1722, but it should read 1727. Nine years after poor Janet’s death, both Scotland and England repealed the Witchcraft Acts, finally putting an end to the madness of executing people for alleged witchcraft.
So, there you have it, the chilling tale of Janet Horne, the last unfortunate soul to face such a horrific fate in Scotland. It’s a grim reminder of the superstitious times gone by and the unjust treatment that people endured. Let’s be thankful that we live in a relatively more enlightened era.
– The Dark Scotland website is created by Stewart and Louise – we run DD Tours, walking tours in Dundee city, covering dark local history such as wars, battles, murders, diseases, riots, disasters and executions. Walk with us for an unforgettable storytelling experience.
