The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

spoons

Not listed on UKNIWM

These are two memorials that I have posted together because of their link. The Martyrs Stake is at OS Map Ref NX 438 556, go down the hill past the parish church and it is signposted. The graves are in Wigtown Parish church churchyard at OS Map Ref NX 436 555.

The stake commemorates the execution by drowning of Margaret McLaughlan and Margaret Wilson on 11th May 1685 (see explanatory board for more detail).

The graves are gathered together in a group and this contains individual graves for the two Margarets and a third common grave for William Johnston, John Milroy and George Walker who were hanged for their religious beliefs. Many web sites contain further details of the covenanters, just put ‘wigtown covenanter’ into google for example.

Mike Morley · Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 2:58 pm Post subject:

The information board at the Martyrs' Stake disappeared when access was improved a couple of years ago. This week an new board has been erected.

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

Very regrettably this does not classify as a war memorial for natiional purposes (but does for local purposes!!), as it is an actual grave site.

The difference from Balmaclellan is that there the memorial is also to men not buried there.

spoons · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2018 6:47 pm Post subject:

There are no graves at the site of this memorial. The two Margarets are buried in Wigtown Churchyard some distance away so this does meet the requirements of a war memorial.

\Paul

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

Paul,

Thanks for that clarification.

This is now WMR 79276. That was a huge amount of typing to get that in. Hopefully this will still catch the late night publishing deadline.