Janet McNaught, occasionally noted in historical records as McKnacht, hailed from the rugged region surrounding Dumfries, though it is suggested she may have originally been from Kirkcudbright. She found herself ensnared in the witch trials that swept through Scotland in the 17th century. Janet was one of several individuals from her area accused of participating in a clandestine witches' meeting, a serious charge during a time fraught with fear and suspicion regarding witchcraft.
Her trial, recorded on April 4, 1659, in Dumfries, unfolded swiftly. Despite maintaining her innocence by pleading not guilty, the court determined otherwise. The verdict rendered was "guilty," and the sentence was grim—execution by strangling and burning, which were common methods intended to cleanse the perceived malevolence associated with witchcraft. Although the records are sparse on details, her name's inclusion in the courtbooks and mention in the trials of contemporaries such as Jonet Miller and Jannet Corsan suggests she was part of a wider web of accusations that embroiled much of the community.
Janet's fate was sealed on April 5, 1659, just a day after her trial commenced. This abrupt sequence from trial to execution exemplifies the era's often swift and unforgiving judicial process. Her story, like that of many others from this turbulent period, underscores the fear and fervor that characterized the witch trials, marking a dark chapter in Scottish history.