During the tumultuous years of the Scottish witch trials, the case of Jonnet Mackskinning, a resident of Blakdyk in the parish of Tarbolton, Ayr, stands as a testament to the era's pervasive cultural anxieties. On the 6th of April, 1658, Jonnet was brought before the Ayr Court, her name etched onto the register of those accused of witchcraft. The records indicate that this summons was part of a larger effort to try a group of individuals purportedly linked to witchcraft, as evidenced by the porteous rolls—official court documents enlisting those called to appear for trial.
Jonnet's trial was part of a broader judicial proceeding noted for its systematic order, as the lists were meticulously updated just days before the trial, on the 31st of March, 1658. This meticulous record-keeping reflects the earnest seriousness with which such cases were undertaken. The trial in Ayr, where Jonnet and others faced adjudication, illustrates the procedural aspects of witch trials during this time, where evidence and local testimonies played a crucial role in determining the fates of the accused. While the outcome of Jonnet Mackskinning's trial remains unrecorded in the surviving documents, her case is woven into the larger fabric of Scotland’s 17th-century history, punctuating a period characterized by fear and suspicion.