In the late summer of 1629, Margrat Fischer, a woman of middling socioeconomic status residing at Stanebyres mylne in Lanark, found herself drawn into the judicial machinery of the Scottish witch trials. As a resident of the mill, it is widely understood by contemporary observers that she was the wife of the miller, occupying a position of modest visibility within her local community. Her case, officially catalogued under reference C/EGD/1110, reached a critical juncture on August 1st, 1629, marking the beginning of a formal legal process that would eventually involve multiple venues of inquiry.
The records pertaining to Margrat indicate that her path through the justice system spanned at least two distinct trial proceedings, documented under references T/JO/2180 and T/LA/702. These archival entries reflect the structured manner in which the early modern Scottish courts handled accusations of witchcraft during this period. While the specific charges brought against her remain preserved within the formal language of these legal records, the progression of her case through the courts underscores the gravity with which the authorities in Lanark treated such allegations involving those living and working within the mill’s periphery.