In the year 1628, amid the turbulent backdrop of early modern Scotland, Agnes Meldrum of Monifieth faced the grim accusation of witchcraft—a charge all too common during the era stretching from 1563 to 1736. The details of Agnes's ordeal are documented in a case archived under the reference C/EGD/2240. However, the precise events leading to her accusation and the outcome remain obscured, as the research did not verify historian Christina Larner's reference to the secondary source that might have contained more about her story.
Agnes, residing in the parish of Monifieth, located in the county of Forfar, would have found herself ensnared in a societal climate wrought with fear and suspicion, where the lines between superstition and malevolence were often blurred. Monifieth, at that time, was a community woven tightly into the fabric of both local and national apprehension about witchcraft, driven in part by the religious and political upheavals of the era. It is within this context that one must consider Agnes’s experience, as she navigated the perilous waters of 17th-century Scottish society under the shadow of witchcraft allegations—a time when simply being accused could lead to deep social ostracism or worse.
Though the records concerning Agnes Meldrum do not provide the specific charges or outcomes, they underscore the pervasive influence of witchcraft trials on the lives of many in Scotland during this period. Her story, along with countless others, forms part of the tapestry of early modern Scottish history, reflecting the intricate intertwining of fear, faith, and the human condition.