In the spring of 1662, the town of Haddington became the site of a legal proceeding involving Margaret Fulkhart. Her case emerged amidst a climate of heightened scrutiny, as she was one of a large number of individuals denounced by a youth named James Welch. Although Welch was ultimately deemed too young to stand trial himself and was instead held in imprisonment, the testimonies he provided were granted significant weight by the local authorities.
The judicial process against Margaret was formalised on April 17, 1662, under the case reference C/EGD/555. Because the authorities accepted the substance of Welch’s confession and the subsequent denunciations as credible evidence, Margaret found herself subject to the rigorous mechanisms of the Scottish legal system during this intensive period of witch-hunting. Her trial, documented under T/LA/1375, remains a preserved record of how the testimonies of a minor could alter the lives of those dwelling within the community of Haddington.