In the mid-17th century, amid the turbulent and often perilous society of early modern Scotland, Anna Alexander found her life irrevocably altered when she was ensnared in the web of witchcraft accusations. Residing in the small community of Ladieude within the Scottish Borders of Peebles, Anna was married, though the records do not detail her family circumstances beyond her marital status. On November 6, 1649, she became the subject of a case formally documented as Alexander, Anna (C/EGD/2060). This period, steeped in religious and social upheaval following the Union of the Crowns and amidst the War of the Three Kingdoms, was rife with suspicion and fear of witchcraft.
Anna's case proceeded to trial under the designation T/LA/2020. Unfortunately, the records available do not expound on the specific accusations leveled against her or the evidence presented. Nevertheless, the labeling and the adjudication process would have followed the patterns typical of the time, where societal fears often intersected with personal grievances and local disputes. Witchcraft trials in Scotland during this era were marked by rigorous and harrowing examinations, where accused individuals could face intense scrutiny and harsh punishment. Despite the brevity of the surviving records, this trial encapsulates a moment in which Anna, like many others, would have faced an uncertain future at the mercy of prevailing beliefs about witchcraft and its supposed threats to the community.