Margaret was born around 1550 at Congleton in Cheshire to an Anglican family. Around 1580 she converted to Catholicism and moved to London as a Catholic recusant laywoman — serving as a household servant in the London Catholic recusant community.
In 1586 Margaret undertook the vocation of visiting the imprisoned Catholic priest William Watson (Catholic priest imprisoned at the Bridewell Prison, the former royal palace converted to prison) — providing Watson with food, clean clothes, and spiritual consolation during the imprisonment.
In summer 1588, Margaret undertook the escape-plan for Watson: hiding a rope in a basket of food that she regularly delivered to Watson in prison. Watson used the rope to lower himself from the Bridewell Prison window — escaping.
Margaret was arrested for the aiding-and-abetting-Catholic-priest-escape offense. Under torture (the 'manacles' — suspension by the wrists), Margaret refused to reveal Watson's hiding place.
On August 30, 1588, Margaret was hanged at Tyburn for the treason of aiding the escape of a Catholic priest.
Canonized on October 25, 1970 by Pope St. Paul VI.