In the late spring of 1697, amidst the green pastures and hilly terrain of Renfrewshire, Margaret Fulton, a resident of East Kilpatrick, found herself ensnared in one of Scotland's turbulent episodes of witch trials. As a woman of middling economic status, Margaret lived a life much like those around her, entrenched in the customs and labors of her community. Her life, however, took a drastic turn when accusations of participating in a witches' meeting surfaced. Part of a larger ordeal that swept through the region, Margaret was one of seven individuals brought to trial from over twenty-eight accused, marking the seriousness with which the local authorities approached her case.
Margaret's trial commenced on the 13th of April, 1697, before the justice courts in Renfrew. It was a lengthy judicial process, enduring numerous delays before its conclusion on the 19th of May. The evidence presented against Margaret culminated in a guilty verdict, rendering a swift and severe sentence. She was condemned to execution by strangulation, followed by burning—a common fate in Scottish witch trials, intended both as a punitive measure and as a deterrent to others. On the 10th of June, 1697, Margaret was taken to Gallow Green, where the sentence was carried out.
This trial reflects the fervent climate of fear and suspicion prevalent in late 17th-century Scotland, where accusations could rapidly escalate to mortal consequences. The case of Margaret Fulton stands as a somber reminder of the societal and judicial dynamics of the time, captured in the stark, unyielding realities documented in the historical records of the Renfrewshire witch trials.