The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

spoons · Last edited by spoons on Sun Dec 25, 2011 12:21 pm; edited 2 times in total

UKNIWM Ref No 62030

Located in the Galloway Forest at OS Map Ref: NX 603 709.

Access to this monument is difficult and only for the well prepared. The most obvious access is via Raiders Road, which is a forest track accessible by cars in reasonable weather conditions (only open April to October). It is then about a 2km walk through woodland from the nearest point on Raiders Road with only logging tracks to ease the way (map and compass essential) – these tracks change from year to year. The memorial is on fairly low ground so is obscured from most views (visible for about 1km from the South). If anyone is intending to visit this monument, I suggest dropping me a line and I may be able to offer an ‘unofficial’ suggestion for a slightly easier alternative (but still only April to October).

Transcription:
ERECTED
IN MEMORY OF THE MARTYRS
R FERGUSSON J MACMICHAEL
R STUART AND J GRIER
WHO FELL ON THIS SPOT 18 DEC 1684
FROM A COLLECTION MADE HERE
ON THE 16 AUG 1835
AND THE PROFITS OF THE SERMON
AFTERWARDS PUBLISHED
PREACHED ON THAT DAY
BY THE
REV R JEFFREY OF GIRTHON
DANIEL III 17 18

A few yards down the hill from the memorial is the grave of Robert Ferguson that I will post separately.

From the Scottish Covenanter Memorials Association:
“Robert Stewart, son of Major Robert Stewart of Ardoch (NX 634832), and John Grierson were in the party of Covenanters that was overtaken by Graham of Claverhouse and his dragoons at Auchencloy on 18 December 1684. Two days previously they had forced an entry into Kirkcudbright Tolbooth and released the Covenanters held there, during which a guard was killed. One week earlier they had taken part in the murder of the curate of Carsphairn. Claverhouse pursued the men to the Black Water of Dee where a skirmish took place. 'Black' James MacMichael and Robert Ferguson were killed alongside them. The bodies of Stewart and Grierson were taken to Dalry for burial, but their corpses were later exhumed and reburied on the northernmost corner of the kirkyard, a place usually kept for thieves or other malcontents.”

spoons · Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 3:57 pm Post subject:

Have just spoken to the local minister. He held a conventicle (outdoor worship) here in 2006 in memory of those who were killed.

\Paul

spoons · Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 12:22 pm Post subject:

Added to UKNIWM listing on 19 Dec 2011 being the first of a new category for Scottish Covenanter Memorials. The listing also includes photographs available online. Initial posting amended to include UKNIWM Ref No.

\Paul

Adam Brown · Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2012 9:34 pm Post subject:

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

Unfortunately this particular memorial should not have been added to UKNIWM/WMR under the Covenanters heading, as it marks the location where they fell and so their place of burial.
Memorials can only be added under this heading if they are at a location other than the place of burial.

It would be a valid memorial if they had been removed and buried elsewhere.

Thus the record has now been deleted.

Although deleted it is held in a suspense account for now so if it can be demonstrated that one or more of the fallen are buried elsewhere it can be re-activated.

The rules for inclusion have been tightened up since 2011.

spoons · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2018 7:29 pm Post subject:

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

Paul,

Thanks for that clarification. Unfortunately the old number has been reused in the interim (a long and boring story), so the new number is WMR 79275, hopefully this will publish overnight.

I have included the text on Robert Stewart's grave on the same report.

Stuart