In the mid-17th century, during a heightened period of suspicion and fear surrounding witchcraft in Scotland, Marion Wood of Ewingston, Haddington found herself at the center of a dramatic and perilous episode. Her name surfaces in historical records dated 29th May 1661, as part of broader denunciations spurred by a young boy named James Welch. Despite Welch’s youth rendering him unfit for trial, his confessions and accusations were treated with grave seriousness by the local authorities, which led to a series of trials, including Marion's.
Marion's trial, noted in the records under reference T/JO/1071 and T/LA/1036, came amidst a backdrop of widespread witch hunts. The details of her specific charges remain sparse, but her inclusion in Welch’s denunciations places her within a large network of accused individuals, reflecting the pervasive anxiety about witchcraft during the era. Welch’s accusations, though not prosecuted directly because of his age, wielded considerable influence, provoking judicial proceedings against those he named, including Marion. While the outcome of Marion's trial is not detailed in the surviving records, her case illustrates the broader societal tensions and the often precarious circumstances faced by those accused of witchcraft in early modern Scotland.