Margaret Spittel, a resident of Kilmadock in Stirling, found herself embroiled in the turbulent milieu of the Scottish witch trials in the mid-17th century. On the 10th of April, 1650, Margaret was formally accused of engaging in witchcraft, as documented in case file C/JO/3317. This period, marked by heightened fear and suspicion of maleficium and communion with the devil, saw many individuals, particularly women, caught up in the fervor of the witch hunts sweeping across Scotland. Margaret's life was irrevocably altered as she was thrust into the judicial system that sought to root out perceived witches from local communities.
Margaret's trial, recorded under the trial number T/JO/2117, would have followed the procedures typical of the time. Her case was subject to both local beliefs and the broader legal framework established under the Witchcraft Act of 1563, which remained in effect until 1736. While specific details of her trial proceedings are not available through the record, it is likely that her examination involved the interrogation of her character and associations, perhaps even employing methods such as pricking or ordeal, which were common in witch trials of that era. The community of Kilmadock, like many others during this time, would have been gripped by the cultural and religious anxieties that fueled such prosecutions. Margaret Spittel’s case is a somber reminder of the historical complexities and personal tribulations endured by those accused of witchcraft in early modern Scotland.