In the late 17th century, in the small village of Over Gurroch, Renfrew, Elspeth Wood found herself embroiled in Scotland's infamous witch trials. Widowed from a miller, Elspeth's social standing was middling, neither impoverished nor affluent. Her life took a tumultuous turn in 1700 when she was accused of witchcraft, a misfortune sparked by the accounts of a young girl named Margaret Laird from Paisley. Margaret, who experienced bouts described as fits, accused numerous individuals of witchcraft, among them Elspeth Wood. The accusations against Elspeth were primarily built upon these denunciations, which took place during the girl's episodes and were corroborated by those who witnessed Margaret's turmoil.
The case surrounding Elspeth Wood first came to light through a series of witness statements in Paisley in April 1699, which were meant to culminate in a trial scheduled for May that year in Glasgow. However, this trial seemingly never came to fruition. It was not until the proceedings were transferred to Edinburgh in March 1700 that Elspeth faced formal adjudication. The court records indicate that, despite the gravity of the accusations, the evidence brought against Elspeth was insufficient to secure a conviction; thus, leading to her eventual release. Elspeth's case illustrates the turbulent nature of the witch trials, where accusations could arise from fevered testimonies rather than concrete evidence, and how, sometimes, justice itself would result in the accused walking free.