In the year 1629, Katherine Wode found herself ensnared in the sweeping fervour of witch trials that permeated Scotland. Residing in the small village of Spittelhauche, near West Linton in Peebles, Katherine was named alongside an astonishing 26 others—a reflection of the widespread suspicion and fear that plagued the community during this turbulent period. The records from June 11, 1629, indicate her entanglement in a case that grouped her fate with those of many others, underscoring perhaps a wave of accusations that roiled the region.
Details of Katherine's trial remain sparse, with the historical record under "Trial notes" offering little more than an absence of specifics. This lack of detail is not unusual, as many trials of this nature from the early 17th century were documented with a frustrating brevity, leaving behind only fragile threads for historians to piece together. Katherine's inclusion in such a large group of accused suggests a possible mass hysteria or a concerted effort by local authorities to address perceived threats in this rural Scottish community. Though the trial records do not illuminate the proceedings or the verdict, Katherine's case stands as a poignant testament to the collective anxiety and often arbitrary nature of witchcraft accusations during a time when societal fears could rapidly escalate into fervent calls for justice.