In the spring of 1697, Margaret Lang, a married woman residing in Renfrew, became entangled in the widespread judicial proceedings that came to define the Renfrewshire witch trials. Margaret was one of over twenty-eight individuals accused during this period of intense scrutiny, and she found herself among the seven specifically selected to face formal trial. The allegations brought against her were rooted in the serious charge of participating in a witches' meeting, a claim that struck at the heart of the community’s anxieties at the time. Notably, the scope of these accusations extended to her immediate family, as Margaret’s own daughter was also brought under suspicion.
The legal process moved with deliberate gravity, beginning on April 13, 1697, before being continued until May 12. The proceedings extended over the following week, concluding on May 19 with a verdict of guilty. Margaret was sentenced to death, and on June 10, 1697, the sentence was carried out at the Gallow Green. In accordance with the judicial practices of the era, Margaret was executed by strangulation followed by burning.