In the turbulent landscape of 17th-century Scotland, Margaret Cumyngham found herself entangled in the notorious witch trials that swept through the country. The records from Ayr, dating back to April 6, 1658, chronicle Margaret as a widow residing in the village of Dunlop. She was one of the women associated with what were known as the "Dunlop witches," who faced accusations of witchcraft at a time when fear and suspicion heavily clouded societal judgments.
Interestingly, the court records describe Margaret as "not to be found," indicating her status as a fugitive. This suggests that at some point before or during the proceedings, Margaret had either fled or was in hiding, thereby evading the summons that sought her appearance before the Ayr Court. Two key documents, including the porteous rolls—one dated March 31, 1658—record the summoning of various individuals from that year, but notably marked Margaret as absent.
This absence from the trial speaks volumes about the climate of fear and the severe consequences faced by those accused of witchcraft during this era. By eluding capture, Margaret avoided the uncertain and often perilous outcomes of such trials, which frequently ended in harsh punishments or executions. The mention of her as a fugitive remains one of the sparse but telling threads of her narrative, woven into the wider tapestry of Scottish witch trials, where the line between accuser and accused could be perilously thin.