Marion Angus, a resident of Stenton in Haddington, finds her place in history through the records of the 17th-century Scottish witch trials. Her legal ordeal began with accusations related to her attendance at so-called witches' meetings, which were commonly perceived gatherings where individuals were believed to consort with supernatural forces. These allegations, set against the backdrop of a society rife with anxiety over witchcraft, culminated in formal charges that would lead her to stand trial.
On the 21st of February 1659, Marion's trial was conducted before Justices of the Peace, notable for the absence of a jury, an occurrence that underscores the discretionary power exercised by such local authorities in witchcraft cases. During proceedings held at the Tolbooth, she provided a confession—although the details of this confession remain unspecified in the surviving records. Her trial, attended to with a sense of urgency typical of the period, resulted in a guilty verdict. This verdict prompted her impending transfer to Edinburgh, designated for sentencing on the first day of March that same year.
Marion's name also appears embedded within the broader network of witchcraft allegations in the region, where she is "denounced" by several other accused individuals—Janet Wood, Helen Heriot, Jean Sydserff, and Bessie Lacost. Such cross-accusations were a common feature of the witch trials, reflecting the pressure on the accused to implicate others in exchange for potential leniency. Although the records do not provide detailed information on the outcomes of their cases or the precise nature of their accusations against Marion, they collectively paint a portrait of the fear and suspicion that spread through these communities during one of Scotland's most tumultuous eras concerning witchcraft.