Helen Small lived in the parish of Monimail in Fife, a region that became notably embroiled in the Scottish witch trials of the 16th and 17th centuries. On the 18th of January, 1649, a case was registered against her, indicating that Helen became one of the many individuals swept up in the fervor and fear that pervaded the time. Historical records, such as case file C/EGD/2364, document the initial charge brought against Helen, marking the beginning of her ordeal in the Scottish legal system during a period of widespread witch-hunting.
The trial records, labeled T/JO/1680 and T/JO/2216, chronicle her appearances before the judicial authorities. These documents represent formal proceedings, suggesting that Helen's case was significant enough to merit thorough adjudication. Fife, like many parts of Scotland, was a region where such accusations were often tightly bound to societal and religious anxieties. Although the specifics of her trial—such as the charges, evidence presented, or the ultimate verdict—are not detailed in the surviving documents, the existence of multiple trial records indicates a process that could have impacted Helen profoundly, reflecting the rigorous and often perilous nature of 17th-century Scottish witch trials. Through these fragments, Helen’s story is preserved as a testament to a tumultuous epoch in Scottish history.