In the year 1702, amidst the waning years of Scotland's witch trials, Molly Redmond of Minnigaff, Kirkcudbright found herself ensnared in the labyrinthine judicial processes of the time. The scant records that illuminate her case are housed under the reference C/EGD/2435, a designation indicative of the systematic documentation that began to emerge as authorities sought to regulate and control accusations of witchcraft more rigorously. Although the details of the case itself are sparse and the original documentation referenced by Larner was not consulted during the research project, the mention of Molly's case within the archives underscores the extent to which the shadow of witchcraft accusations lingered in early 18th-century Scotland.
Molly Redmond lived during a period when the fervor of witch hunts had somewhat abated compared to the peaks of prior decades, yet the belief in and fear of witchcraft persisted, particularly in rural communities like Minnigaff. The records do not provide specific accusations or evidence brought against Molly, leaving much to the imagination about how she might have come under suspicion or what community tensions could have led to her accusation. Nonetheless, the mere existence of her case highlights the precarious position of many women at the time, who often had to navigate societal anxieties, local rivalries, and the deeply ingrained superstitions that could so easily disrupt lives and livelihoods. Molly's story is a fragmentary glimpse into a wider narrative of fear, power, and the social dynamics of early modern Scotland.