The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft

1563-1736

By Julian Goodare, Lauren Martin, Joyce Miller and Louise Yeoman, January 2003


The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft logo

Trial Details

T/JO/1515 Margaret Bell

Name of the accused
Margaret Bell
Associated case
C/EGD/2373 (19/8/1649)
Trial process type
Local Court
associated trials
trial reference accused trial type trial year trial place
no recorded trials

Pre-trial actions

commissions
commission body type date seal notes
no recorded commission
previous commissions
commission body date
no recorded prior commission
appeals
central authority reason appeal date
no recorded appeals
complaints
type date of complaint lodged at appeal date complainent involvement
no recorded complaints
move to higher legal authority
moved to date of move
Local laird 6/1649
denunciations
denuncation date dated
no recorded denunciations
imprisonments
incarceration date central trial imprison prison location moving
6/1649 no None Corstorphine no
tortures
date of torture torture type
no recorded tortures
ordeals
date of ordeal ordeal type
no recorded ordeals
confessions
central trial confession date location notes
no 6/1649 Corstorphine None

other information

Pre-trial notes
None
watched?
no
watch date
no information
arrested?
yes
arrest date
no information
fled?
no
date absconded
no information
action dropped?
no
action dropped date
no information
action dropped by
no information
trial action body
no information
confronting suspects?
yes

Trial phase

trial date
6/1649
trial place
no information

place of trial

settlement
no information
parish
P/ST/658
presbytery
Edinburgh
county
Edinburgh
burgh
no information

verdict

verdict
Guilty
defence
no
female accusers
2
male accusers
1
recorded as high status?
no
order for central judiciary trial
no
judiciary trial date
no information
circuit court (mixed central and local)
no
circuit name
no information
local court with central representatives
no
trial notes
None
persons associated with the trial
name title office occupation involvement witchpricker? notes
no recorded additional persons

Post-trial phase

sentence
Execution
executed?
yes
execution date
6/1649
execution place
no information
execution method
Burn
post trial notes
Condemned to be burnt.
other named witches
name trial link accused link
Katherin Gibb T/JO/1516 A/EGD/1789
Marion Inglis T/JO/1517 A/EGD/2305
William Scott T/JO/1520 A/EGD/1613
Bessie Scott T/JO/1519 A/EGD/1614

Mentioned as a witch

mentioned as a witch
type name mention date fate linked trialdate trial link notes
no mentions