Christian Lockhart was a resident of Lauder in Haddingtonshire, known to history through the records of her involvement in the fraught and perilous witch trials that swept Scotland during the 17th century. Her case, recorded on the 9th of September, 1679, entangles her with a circle of accusations that implicates both her and other women of the community, including Agnes Kelly and her servant, M. Anderson. The trio was reportedly pressured to denounce one Elspeth Chousley, who faced extrajudicial violence and was subsequently arrested on allegations of witchcraft.
Despite the grave nature of the accusations, Christian's trial took an unusual turn. Rather than standing before the court to face the charges levied against her, she was declared a fugitive. This legal status arose from her failure to appear at the Haddington circuit court, although the records also suggest that the proceedings might have been convened in Edinburgh. This avoidance of the court's reach would have severe implications for her future, casting a shadow over her life as she remained beyond the grasp of legal proceedings, yet tainted by the unproven accusations of witchery.
The details of Christian's escape from the judicial process—or her life thereafter—remain veiled in the sparse historical documentation. It is also imprecisely noted that she may have undergone some form of torture, a common but brutal method used in the hopes of extracting confessions during this tumultuous period. The absence of additional records means her story is retold through fragments, reminding us of the thousands caught in the witch panic—a testament to the era's climate of fear and superstition that overshadowed the lives of many like Christian Lockhart.