Agnes Bischope, a resident of Calder in Linlithgow, found herself at the heart of a witchcraft trial in early 1644, during a period of intense witch-hunting fervour in Scotland. Living within the jurisdiction of the Linlithgow presbytery, Agnes's ordeal began on the 31st of January that year, as documented in the case records designated C/EGD/2318.
Calder, a community that did not formally separate from Linlithgow presbytery until 1884, was the backdrop for Agnes's trial, recorded under the trial number T/JO/516. Her story is a poignant reflection of the broader societal anxieties that swept through 17th-century Scotland, where accusations of witchcraft could arise from a myriad of social tensions and personal vendettas. Although the specific charges and the outcome of Agnes's trial are not detailed in the surviving records, her inclusion in the historical documentation of witch trials underscores the precarious nature of life during this time, when accusations could lead to severe consequences without substantive evidence.