Christian Reid

she/her · Vagabond · Aberdeen · 1597

Christian Reid

Guilty Executed

In the spring of 1597, the judicial machinery of Aberdeen turned its focus toward Christian Reid, a woman identified in local records as a landless vagabond. While some accounts suggest she may have previously been employed as a servant in the household of Katherine Gerard, by the time of her apprehension, she was moving through the region without a settled home. Her reputation was such that she was explicitly named as a known witch by another accused woman, Hellie Pennie, during the turbulent period of the Aberdeen witch hunts.

On April 15, 1597, Christian faced a formal trial where the gravity of the accusations against her culminated in a conviction. The charges brought against her included the grave allegation of entering into a pact with the demonic, alongside claims of property damage involving a mill. Following the recording of her confession that same month, the court moved swiftly to its final judgment. Christian was sentenced to death and executed in April 1597, meeting her end through the standard local practice of strangulation followed by burning.

This narrative was generated by AI based solely on the historical records in the database.

Timeline of Events
15/4/1597 — Case opened
Reid,Christian
Charges: Demonic pact
15/4/1597 — Trial
Verdict: Guilty
Sentence: Execution
Executed (Strangle & Burn)
Key Facts
SexFemale
OccupationVagabond
Social statusLandless
CountyAberdeen
VerdictGuilty
SentenceExecution
ExecutedYes
Confessions (1)
4/1597 Recorded
Named by 1 other(s)
Hellie Pennie
Hellie Pennie · Known Witch
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