In the spring of 1697, Margaret McKillope, a widow residing in Bonneill, Renfrew, became entangled in a series of judicial proceedings that defined one of the most significant periods of witch-hunting in late seventeenth-century Scotland. Alongside a large group of fellow accused, Margaret was formally indicted on 13 April 1697. The charges brought against her centered on the allegation of attending a witches' meeting—a grave accusation during an era when the social and spiritual anxieties of the Renfrewshire community were frequently projected onto such clandestine gatherings.
The legal process surrounding Margaret was marked by recurring uncertainty and administrative delay. Her trial, originally slated to begin in April, was continued by the court until 12 May 1697. As the legal proceedings unfolded, the complexity of the mass indictment necessitated further postponements, with a final recorded entry on 19 May 1697 indicating that the trials for Margaret and the rest of her group were moved yet again to 28 May 1697. Beyond this date, the historical record falls silent; there is no extant documentation to confirm that the trial ever resumed or to clarify the ultimate fate of Margaret following these repeated adjournments.