In the spring of 1568, Agnes Gordoun found herself at the center of a storm that swept through the town of Arbroath and its neighboring parish of St Vigeans in Forfar. Accusations of witchcraft had circulated with increasing ferocity, creating an atmosphere of suspicion and fear. Agnes, a resident of these communities, was brought to trial in April of that year under the case name Gordoun, Agnes.
Historical records from this period offer a glimpse into Agnes's predicament. Her trial, documented as T/LA/2242, occurred against the backdrop of Scotland's turbulent mid-16th century, a time when witchcraft was both a matter of serious juridical concern and communal trepidation. She was one among many who faced such grim proceedings, and her case exemplified the broader societal anxieties of the time.
While specific details of the accusations against Agnes or the outcome of her trial remain sparse in the surviving records, the mere fact of her prosecution underscores the perilous position of women in early modern Scotland, where personal grievances and societal fears often intertwined into accusations of witchcraft. Agnes Gordoun's experience is a testament to the complex interplay of gender, power, and superstition in this era.