In the small settlement of Auldearn in Nairn, a woman named Issobel More found herself at the heart of a dramatic episode in Scottish history during the year 1662. At this time, the fear of witchcraft had spread a chilling unease across Scotland, leaving many accused amid a climate of suspicion and anxiety. From the scant historical records we have, Issobel's case was not unusual in the period following the Scottish witchcraft act of 1563, yet each personal account brings a unique insight into the grim reality of those times.
Issobel More's trial, dated April 13, 1662, is recorded under case number C/LA/3241. These documents, while limited, are indicative of the structured legal proceedings established during the witch trials, which had by this point become formalized throughout Scotland. Her trial appears to have been one of many during a particularly intense phase of witch-hunting following a surge of accusations in the early 1660s.
Unfortunately, historical records like those bearing the trial number T/LA/1867 provide little personal detail about Issobel herself, such as her age, family circumstances, or the nature of the accusations she faced. Nevertheless, her story, captured fragmentarily in the annals of this era's legal documents, forms part of the broader tapestry of the Scottish witch trials, illustrating the pervasive fear and the somber legal apparatus that defined this turbulent period in Scotland's past.