In December of 1643, Helen Hill, a woman of middling socioeconomic status from Queensferry, Linlithgow, found herself at the heart of grave accusations that would eventually lead to her death. Married to a mariner, Helen was around fifty years old at the time of her indictment for witchcraft, a charge that extended ominously to her family. The records suggest that Helen had two adult daughters who also faced similar charges, indicating that the suspicions cast upon them might have been interwoven into a larger narrative of familial guilt. This sequence of events unfolded against the backdrop of a community deeply entrenched in the fear and suspicion of witchcraft.
By September of the following year, the proceedings against Helen had culminated not only in legal scrutiny but in the ultimate sentence of death. Her case number, T/JO/519, details that she was executed in 1644 by burning—a common method of execution for those convicted of witchcraft in Scotland at the time. The mention of her in the case records from September 1644, particularly in connection with her daughter's proceedings, highlights the ripple effects her accusation had on her family. Unfortunately, historical records provide scant detail on the specific allegations and testimonials that led to Helen's sentence, yet her tragic fate reflects the perilous landscape for those accused of witchcraft during this tumultuous period in Scottish history.