Janet Cornfoot of Leuchars, Fife, emerged as a central figure during one of the fevered episodes of witchcraft accusations that gripped early 18th-century Scotland. The case against her began in February 1705, when she, along with several other women, was accused of participating in a witches' meeting and causing the supernatural torment of a young local boy, Patrick Morton. Morton's afflictions drew parallels with other notorious possession cases, most notably that of the 'Bargarran's daughter' in the west of Scotland, serving to heighten the public's fervor and credulity towards the charges of witchcraft.
As the prosecution of these cases was deemed significant enough, Her Majesty's Advocate, Sir James Stewart, was appointed by the Privy Council to oversee the trial, with financial backing directly from the treasury. Despite the severity of these formal proceedings, it was not the courts, but rather mob justice that met Janet Cornfoot. Her unexpected and tragic end came at the hands of an inflamed crowd. She was almost fatally beaten and left near death at the Sea Mark, and although local officials initially intervened, her fate was sealed when she was seized once more and met her demise being crushed under a door laden with stones.
The tumultuous circumstances surrounding Janet's death prompted the Privy Council to hold the local magistrates accountable for failing to maintain order. Her story stands as a somber testament to the intense social and juridical dynamics of the witch trials during this period in Scotland's history, where accusations could swiftly escalate into violence beyond the confines of the law. Her recorded confessions in June 1704, mentioned across multiple trials, reflect the intricate web of accusations and the often desperate plight faced by those entangled in the frenzy of witchcraft suspicions.