In the early summer of 1615, Katherine Bigland of Westray in the Orkney Islands found herself at the center of a harrowing episode, indicative of a grim chapter in Scottish history. Katherine stood accused of attending what was described as a witches' meeting—a charge that formed the basis of her trial before the ecclesiastical Court of the Bishopric of Orkney. The accusations against her were particularly severe, as witch trials during this period often intertwined with notions of heretical gatherings believed to threaten both church and state. Notably, her case was not isolated within her own family, as records indicate that her mother had also been implicated in similar accusations, suggesting that suspicion had perhaps become a family mantle, passed down through misfortune or community animosity.
On the 6th of June, Katherine faced her trial, a somber proceeding that concluded with a verdict of guilty. The documentation marks her as condemned to execution by strangulation followed by burning—an execution method designed both to punish and serve as a macabre public deterrent. The trial was swift and meted out in the religious jurisdiction typical of the era, where ecclesiastical courts held sway in moral and spiritual matters. Through these records, we glimpse the harsh realities of early 17th-century Orkney, where societal fears could swiftly transform into tragic outcomes for those ensnared within them. Katherine’s fate serves as a poignant reminder of the potent mix of fear, superstition, and power that characterized Scotland's witch hunts and the enduring legacy they left on local communities.