Remembering Janet Horne

The Last Witch of Scotland, by Philip Paris

By Liz Treacher, Author

I love to read novels about the area penned by other local writers. So it was with great excitement that I picked up The Last Witch of Scotland (Black & White 2023) by Philip Paris. Philip has already written a novel about the Italian chapel in Orkney and Effie’s War, based on true events in Ross-shire during WW2. Now he has turned his hand to writing about Janet Horne.


We all know the stone in Dornoch marking the location of Janet’s execution. There are legends surrounding Janet and her daughter, but this letter from Edmund Burt is one of the few pieces of evidence that historians have to go on.

In the beginning of the year 1727, two poor Highland women (mother and daughter), in the shire of Sutherland, were accused of witchcraft, tried and condemned to be burned…The young one made her escape out of prison, but the old woman suffered that cruel death in a pitch barrel...


Interestingly, in his letter Burt names the year as 1727 rather than 1722, which is the date marked on the stone. In addition, we are not even sure if Janet Horne was her real name, as Jenny Horne was a generic name of a witch.


This uncertainty is both a challenge and a bonus for Philip, who has fictionalised the trial of Janet and her daughter through a combination of historical events and gripping story telling.


He brings both the time and the area to life through colourful descriptions and dramatic scenes. The characters are interesting and believable and the novel is a fascinating plunge into a different time.

Liz Treacher is a writer based in Skelbo. 
Her latest novel, Vegan Recipes for New Age Men, 
is a romantic comedy set in the local area.
It’s available to buy from Dornoch Bookshop.