grammar - What does ところ do here?

青年が皆の手で地面に取り押さえられ、縄でぐるぐる巻きにされているところだった。

Does ところ here take on the meaning of "in the midst of doing"?

So this sentence would mean: "The boy was held down by everyone, and was being rolled up by a rope."?

Thanks!

Answer

A bunch of questions about ところ seems a very good overview.

青年が皆の手で地面に取り押さえられ、縄でぐるぐる巻きにされているところだった。

• 
  

  Does ところ here mean "in the midst of doing"? ------> Yes.

  
  

  "The young man was held down to the ground by everyone, and was being rolled up by a rope." ...

  
  

  -- as I (or another witness) arrived at the scene.

  
  

  -- just as I (or another witness) started watching the movie.

  
  

  -- when I (or another reader) opened up a random page in the book and started reading.

  
  

  Etc.