In the mid-17th century, during a period marked by social upheaval and religious strife, Margaret Kinard of Glendevon, Perth, found herself at the heart of events that would come to define a turbulent chapter in Scottish history. Historical records from the year 1649 trace the contours of Margaret's plight, embedded as they are in the larger narrative of the Scottish witch trials—an era rife with fear, superstition, and the clashing of traditional beliefs and burgeoning modern sensibilities.
Margaret's case, noted in the documents under the reference C/EGD/175, reveals that she became the subject of an accusation of witchcraft on the 10th of October, 1649. The record does not elaborate on the nature of the charges or the specific accusations that led to her being implicated. However, what is clear from the evidence is Margaret's decision to flee, seeking refuge from the accusations leveled against her. This choice is captured in the note that she was subsequently recorded as a fugitive, indicating the severity and imminence of the peril she perceived.
The trial proceedings, referenced as T/LA/36, remain silent on the specifics of her adjudication, yet her absence must have been a testament to both her fear and a desperate bid for survival. Margaret's actions place her within a larger context of many who reacted similarly to the hysteria of the times, where escaping was often seen as the only option to evade the relentless scrutiny and dire consequences inflicted by such trials. Her story endures as a poignant reminder of a fraught period in Scottish history, where mere accusations could alter the course of one's life irrevocably.