In 1662, Christian Crieff, a resident of the Crook of Devon within the parish of Fossoway and Tullibole in Perthshire, became subject to the formal legal processes of the Scottish witch trials. Her case, documented under reference C/EGD/1705, occurred during a period of heightened judicial scrutiny regarding allegations of maleficium and diabolical pacts within the region. As with many individuals brought before the local kirk sessions and civil courts during the seventeenth century, Christian was caught in the complex intersection of ecclesiastical discipline and statutory law that characterized the era.
While the specific depositions and testimonies detailing the accusations against her remain within the broader context of the archival records of the period, the record marks her presence in the legal landscape of Restoration-era Scotland. Following the customary protocols for such proceedings, Christian was subjected to the investigative rigour of her local community and the presiding officials. Her history serves as a reminder of the structured, albeit fraught, legal mechanisms employed by the authorities in Perthshire to address perceived spiritual and societal disorder during the mid-seventeenth century.