Alesoun Balfour, a resident of Stenness in Orkney and originally noted as being from Ireland, found herself ensnared in the perilous web of the witch trials on the 15th of December, 1594. Living in a familial setting, Alesoun was married to a man reportedly of considerable age—91 years, which may have been uncommon for the period. Her domestic life included one son and one daughter, both of whom, along with her aged husband, faced the harsh realities of judicial torture during the proceedings of her trial.
The records indicate that as part of the investigation, Alesoun endured the torment of methods such as the stocks and the device known as "Cashielaws." Within this harrowing context, a confession was initially coerced from her, only for it to be retracted, a situation not uncommon in trials of this nature where duress was known to yield dubious admissions. However, another confession was documented, finalized on the very day after the initial one, solidifying the path to her conviction. Alesoun stood accused and was ultimately found guilty, a verdict that adjudicated her fate to execution.
Her sentence was carried out swiftly; Alesoun was executed by burning on the same day of her trial, at a place called Hedding-hill. This method of execution was a grim testament to the severity of the punishments meted out during the Scottish witch trials of the period, reflecting societal fears and the pervasive grip of superstition. Alesoun's narrative, as recorded, reveals a tragic snapshot of the era, accentuating the trials that engulfed many during this tumultuous chapter in Orkney's history.