In the late 16th century, the small village of Mariewell in Lumphanan, Aberdeen, became a site of intense scrutiny and fear as witch trials swept through the region. Among those caught in this perilous tide was Margrat Og, a 37-year-old married woman, whose life would drastically change in 1597. Margrat's case, recorded under the designation C/EGD/2154, unfolds against the backdrop of an era fraught with suspicion and the fervent pursuit of witches.
Margrat Og found herself accused of forming a demonic pact, a grave charge suggesting that she had sworn allegiance to the devil. Adding weight to the accusations was the claim that she participated in clandestine witches' meetings, possibly accompanied by her two daughters—an involvement that painted not just her but her family with the brush of infamy. Her name surfaced in other witch trials, as noted by mentions from individuals such as Beatrix Robbie and Margerat Bane, who had denounced her, thereby amplifying the allegations that beset her.
The trial, detailed in historic records T/LA/2222 and T/JO/1312, took place on April 24, 1597, and concluded with a guilty verdict. Margrat Og was sentenced to execution by strangulation and subsequent burning—a common fate for those condemned as witches in Scotland at the time. This grim event occurred on the hills, serving as a stark reminder of the harsh realities faced by those swept up in the witch-hunting fervor. Her legacy, enshrined not only in her trial record but also in claims of property damage to animals, provides a glimpse into the fears and cultural tensions of early modern Scotland.