She was a confused old woman who had no understanding of the danger she was in or the terrible fate her neighbours had in store for her.
Almost 300 years ago Janet Horne was the last woman executed for witchcraft in Scotland, burned alive after a sham trial where she was convicted on the strength of being unable to recite the Lord’s Prayer.
In all likelihood she was simply suffering from dementia and unable to put up a defence against the deadly accusations against her during her trial in Dornoch, Sutherland.
She was accused of consorting with the devil and transforming her daughter into a pony so she could ride to meet him.
The girl was said to have a deformity of her hands and feet, possibly because of a fire, which was used as evidence of Janet’s supposed magical powers as they resembled hooves.
According to one legend, Horne is said to have warmed her hands on the fire which was to be her pyre after she was paraded through the town stripped and covered in tar and feathers.
The old woman is reputed to have praised the ‘braw warming’, before it engulfed her and ended her misery.
Now her final days and the story of what may have led up to her grisly end has been given new life in a novel crowned Scottish Book of the Year Book of the Year by major bookseller Waterstones.
Now in its tenth year, the Waterstones award champions books by authors based in Scotland, or titles that have a strong Scottish setting.
The Last Witch of Scotland weaves a new tale around the story of Janet Horne, who real name is lost to history - ‘Janet Horne’ being a generic name in Scottish court records given to women accused of witchcraft.
In the book, Horne and her daughter become the target of a Parish Minister after they move to Dornoch.
In this small community, faith is more powerful than truth, and whispers more dangerous even than fire.
Waterstones describe the book as “haunting and deeply moving”, and “perfect for fans of Outlander” or those with an interest in Scottish history.
His work is varied, ranging from Men Cry Alone, which broke new ground in raising the profile of domestic abuse against men, to Casting Off, a hilarious story of residents in a Highland care home.
He said: “It’s a huge and unexpected honour for The Last Witch of Scotland to be chosen as Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year.
“Writers work away in solitude constructing their sentences, plots, characters and storylines with no certainty that a single word will ever be seen by another person.
“To have this accolade from the UK’s leading bookshop chain is tremendous and I’m extremely grateful to Waterstones for giving a wider voice to these characters from the past.”
READ MORE:
- Shining a light on the Scots women impacted by witch trials
- Scots village Forvie was buried in 1413 during a nine-day sandstorm
He added: “What inspires me most as a writer is to find an important historical event that hasn’t been written about before in the form of a novel, and which is a story crying out to be told because the themes will resonate so strongly with people today.
“This is what drove me to create my debut novel, The Italian Chapel, and fifteen years later it’s what has driven me to write The Last Witch of Scotland.”
Angela MacRae, Waterstones Scottish Buyer, said: “The Last Witch of Scotland is a wonderful piece of historical fiction with an absorbing plot, rich factual detail, and fabulous characters.
“So, it is with great pleasure that we announce The Last Witch of Scotland as Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year 2024.
“We cannot wait to get this novel into the hands of even more readers, as we are convinced they will be as enthralled as we are.”
Iain MacLeod, Commercial Expert for Scotland, added: “Told with sensitivity, with grace and with righteous anger: The Last Witch of Scotland is a book for the ages, of timeless tragedy, and just that tiny spark of hope that things can be different.”
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