In the early seventeenth century, within the small village of Cousland in Cranston, Edinburgh, lived Marion Bankes, a woman of approximately 50 years of age. Her life, characterized by the daily struggles typical of the lower socioeconomic class, was monumentally disrupted in 1630 when she found herself ensnared in a sweeping accusation of witchcraft. This dramatic event did not solely affect her, but also tragically enveloped her husband and daughter, who were likewise accused. The records reveal that Marion's case, referenced under the marker C/EGD/1210, was part of a larger group accusation, as she was one of seven individuals implicated at that time.
The details of Marion’s trial, designated as T/JO/336, unfortunately remain obscure to us with no specific trial proceedings or outcomes documented in the surviving records. This lack of detail is not uncommon, as many records from Scottish witch trials either were never kept or have been lost over the centuries. What is clear, however, is the severity of the situation: being accused of witchcraft during this period often resulted in dire consequences. Marion’s existence in a small, closely-knit community would have been fundamentally altered, as accusations of witchcraft could isolate individuals from their neighbors and church, severing essential communal bonds that formed the backbone of daily life in the 1600s.