In the late sixteenth century, against the backdrop of widespread witch trials across Scotland, one Neving McGhee found herself amid accusations that would forever alter her standing in the community. Residing in Kirkinner, Wigtown—an area situated on the southern side of the River Forth—she became embroiled in legal proceedings at a time when the fear of witchcraft cast long shadows over society. Known simply by her surname in records, Neving McGhee's case was brought forth on the 8th of November, 1590, as noted in the historical documentation.
Neving's trial, encapsulated in the archival case T/LA/433, concluded with a severe sentence reflective of the religious and judicial powers of the period. She was excommunicated—a form of censure by the church that severed her from the sacral rights and community ties. Excommunication was a profound punishment in early modern Scotland, effectively marking an individual as ostracized from both ecclesiastical and social networks. Though specific accusations or evidence against her are not detailed in the surviving records, the outcome illustrates the gravity and the pervasive influence of the witch trials during this turbulent era.