In the small parish of Saltpreston, located in the coastal region of Prestonpans, Haddington, a widow by the name of Katharine Liddell found herself ensnared in the harrowing events of the Scottish witch trials. The year was 1678, a period marked by unease and widespread fear of witchcraft. Having lost her husband, Katharine faced life alone in a community that was often quick to point fingers. Her status as a widow might have made her vulnerable, lacking the protection and societal stability a husband could provide in those times.
On the 13th of September 1678, Katharine Liddell was brought to trial under accusations of witchcraft, as documented in case file C/EGD/1763. During this tumultuous period, the Scottish witch trials were characterized by their harsh and often inhumane methods of extracting confessions. Katharine was subjected to sleep deprivation, a tactic frequently employed to weaken the accused both physically and mentally, making them more likely to confess under duress. This particular form of torture, recorded in July 1678, exemplifies the severe measures used against those alleged to practice witchcraft.
Though the records do not specify the outcome of her trial or the precise nature of the accusations against her, Katharine Liddell’s experience remains a testament to the fear and suspicion that permeated 17th-century Scottish society. Her story, like those of many others during the witch trials, is marked by the intersection of personal tragedy and broader societal panic, reflecting a time when the boundaries of belief and justice were tested by the fears and uncertainties of the era.