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/LA/999 Helen Widdrow

Name of the accused
Helen Widdrow
Associated case
C/EGD/1265 (13/4/1632)
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
Privy Council Investigation 13/4/1632 None to be examined by the Archbishop of Glasgow.
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
Suspect's 13/4/1632 Privy Council
move to higher legal authority
moved to date of move
Archbishop 13/4/1632
denunciations
denuncation date dated
no recorded denunciations
imprisonments
incarceration date central trial imprison prison location moving
2/1632 no House Nobelstoun, Refrewshire 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 recorded confessions

other information

Pre-trial notes
She was arrested in 2/1632 by Mr. William Cochrane sherrif Depute in Renfrew and held in the house of Robert Sempil of Noblestoun. She was to be taken to the Archbishop of Glasgow to be examined and report back to the Privy Council
watched?
no
watch date
no information
arrested?
yes
arrest date
2/1621
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?
no

Trial phase

trial date
no information
trial place
no information

place of trial

settlement
no information
parish
no information
presbytery
no information
county
no information
burgh
no information

verdict

verdict
no information
defence
no
female accusers
0
male accusers
0
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
no information
executed?
no
execution date
no information
execution place
no information
execution method
no information
post trial notes
None
other named witches
name trial link accused link
no recorded named witches

Mentioned as a witch

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