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Covenanters, A Burners Guide and Tour – by “Auld Licht” (aka Bill McCrae)

“Covenanters” will be one of the Club’s most ridden segments, obviously named after the monument half way along. However, there is hardly a village or hillside in our patch without a Covenanter link.

More on some of those later, but who were the Covenanters and why were they martyred and memorialised here?

The Covenanters were a religious and political movement in 17th C. Scotland. Zealots, some might say. They believed in a reformed presbyterian church. Ministers were chosen by the Parish Elders, or Presbytery, and there was no church hierarchy or monarch between the people and their God. South-west Scotland was the heartland of the Covenant movement. (I like to think Burners roam Ayrshire in the same spirit of self-determination.) This brought conflict with the Stuart Kings, and Cromwell during his reign. The Monarchs imposed an Episcopalian Church, in which they appointed Bishops, who appointed the Ministers. The Crown then had better religious, and hence political, control over the people.

This led to open resistance and the famous riot in St Giles Cathedral in 1637, popularly triggered by Jenny Geddes throwing her stool at the Minister. The drawing up of the National Covenant in 1638 was the start of the organised movement. The main document was signed in Greyfriars Churchyard in Edinburgh, and local copies were signed all over the country. The Maybole copy is still in the National Archives.  It was named after the agreement, or Covenant, between the Israelites and Jehovah. As all fans of Indiana Jones know, the Covenant was carried before the tribe in an Ark, as a sign of their being the chosen people. Many Covenanters signed in their own blood and added “to death”. For them, the Covenant was an oath to God. To break it meant damnation.

Ultimately there was open rebellion but, after initial minor success, the Covenanters were finished as a military force by crushing defeat at the Battle of Bothwell Brig in 1679. The Royalist army was nominally commanded by Charles II’s son, Monmouth. It is likely though the real tactician was John Graham of Claverhouse, later Viscount Dundee, “Bonnie Dundee” of the folk song. Thereafter, the movement went underground and many atrocities were committed by Government forces to suppress it.

One of the most divisive characters in Scottish history, Claverhouse was undoubtedly a brilliant general, particularly of cavalry. To many, a Jacobite hero. His troopers were intensely loyal, due to his repeated success and reckless bravery. The Covenanters explanation was that he had entered into his own covenant, but with the Devil. In exchange for final possession of his soul, the Devil had guaranteed he could not be killed by iron or lead. He believed himself invulnerable in battle. He was appointed Military Governor, to eliminate the Covenanters by whatever means necessary. Many murders and torture were carried out at his order, and even by his own hand. In Ayrshire, he was not Bonnie but “Bluidy Clavers”.

Grave and Monument to John Brown of Priesthill – Clavers most infamous act was at Priesthill, a hill farm above the Cumnock road. It is commemorated in a poem, “The Widows Lament”, and a painting in Kelvingrove Gallery. Clavers was tipped off that the charismatic Covenanter was at home and he apprehended Brown with a file of dragoons. Brown was told he must take an oath abjuring the Covenant, or die immediately. Brown chose the latter and in his final prayer asked that his murderers be forgiven. Even the hardened troopers hesitated to gun down such a pious elder in front of his family and, fearing mutiny, Clavers drew his pistol and shot Brown himself. As she knelt weeping, he callously asked Isobel Brown what she thought of her husband now. Her reply lives in legend, “I thoucht muckle o’ him afore, an’ I think mair o’ him noo.”

Suggested Tour, starting at Citadel Leisure Centre, Ayr

Ayr Citadel Fort – Cromwell’s Isengard, a massive fortification for its time, built to subdue Ayrshire, which was then for “King and Covenant”. (Cross the New Brig, then back across the Auld, behind M&S to – )

Martyrs Monument, Ayr Auld Kirk Graveyard – Seven Covenanters are buried here, having been executed together at Ayr Cross. (Still marked by a cross of cobbles in the Sandgate.) The Gallows had to be ringed with dragoons to prevent rescue by the citizens of Ayr. (Out to Alloway and the High Road to – )

Maybole Covenanters Monument – AKA Cargil’s Stone. The base stone is said to be natural and Covenant Minister Cargil gave hellfire sermons from it. The other martyrs are all Maybole Men.  They were captured at Bothwell Brig and spent a year in appalling outdoor conditions in Greyfriars Churchyard, Edinburgh before being transported to America. The ship sank off Orkney and 209 Covenanters drowned.

The Preaching Brae – The steep road to Garryhorn on the right after the Monument. Covenant ministers gave sermons from the slope, ready to escape across the Red Moss behind if Government dragoons should appear. Cavalry could not follow them through the bog. (Turn left though and down into Maybole).

Maybole Old Kirk and Graveyard – Covenant epicentre, where the local Covenant was signed and several martyrs are buried.

Gilbert MacAdam’s Grave and Monument, Kirkmichael Churchyard – MacAdam‘s adventures could make a film. He could not be shot without trial as this applied only to commoners, whilst he was the son of a minor Laird. Captured, imprisoned, escaped. Captured again, transported to America, escaped, stowed away back to Scotland. A Kirkmichael conventicle was betrayed and he was shot in the back running. The monument names his murderer and there was a tit-for-tat defacing and reworking for some years.

Thomas McHaffie’s Grave and Monument, Straiton Churchyard, and nearby, McHaffie’s Boulder, and Cave – The son of the tenant of Largs Farm, he was on the run in the Galloway Hills but contracted pneumonia and took shelter in an outhouse of Linfairn Farm, up the Tairlaw Road. When captured, he was too ill to stand and Government Troops propped him up on the Boulder to interrogate and shoot him. (After comfort stop, take the Tairlaw Road to the Bell Memorial and back across the Nic’).

Peden’s Cave and Hut – Tairlaw and Nic o’ the Balloch – “Prophet Peden” was perhaps the most famous Covenant Preacher, and there are several Peden’s hideouts in Ayrshire. He famously wore a mask whilst preaching so the congregation could swear they hadn’t seen him. It is still in the National Museum. His Hut hideout, still on the OS map, was on the hill above Cornish Loch, near Tairlaw summit. The Cave is near the summit of the Nic (Turn left at the bottom of the Nic).

Edward McKean’s Grave and Monument, Barr Churchyard – Shot for possessing a Covenant Bible, and then refusing the oath. (Stop for lunch and facilities before over The Screws to Old Dailly, or optional extensions to Barrhill and Colmonell.)

The Martyr’s Tomb, Barrhill – Grave and Monument to Daniel Meiklewrick and John Murchie. Shot by Government troops, Meiklewrick’s fiancee buried them alone at night, at great personal risk.

Matthew McIlwraith’s Grave and Monument, Colmonell – Another Covenanter shot by Clavers himself.

Graves and Monuments, Old Dailly Churchyard – Several Covenanters are buried here but the most famous was not martyred. John Stevenson escaped capture at Bothwell Brig and made it home. He spent seven years (!) on the run in the hills above the Girvan Valley, our Ayrshire Alps. His many brushes with death are local legends. (On to Girvan Valley High Road and ascend Wallacetown Alp).

Craigdow Hill – Immediately north of Wallacetown summit and then extremely remote (today Duncan could attend in his trainers). The site of a highly organised, two day, outdoor Conventicle with several preachers and thousands of worshippers. The Covenant equivalent of T in the Park. (Descend to Kirkoswald and back to Ayr via the Coast Road).

Cunning Park House – Our tour ends near coffee and scones at Secret Garden. The house stood just beyond where the motor dealers are now, and was owned by a pro-covenant family. It was commandeered by Clavers as his local headquarters and many bloody expeditions began here.

Other Prominent Local Covenanter Sites.

William Shillielaw’s Grave and Monument, Tarbolton Churchyard – Shillielaw could not have been in the open rebellion as he was too young, only 18 when killed in 1685. He was carrying a presbyterian bible and refused the oath abjuring the Covenant. Government troops shot him on the spot.

Peden’s Pulpit – Steps and a ledge cut into the sandstone of the River Ayr Gorge, nr Failford, from where Peden preached. The congregation gathered on the opposite bank.

George Wood’s Memorial, Sorn Village Church – The last covenant martyr, Wood was murdered on the outskirts of the village in1688.

Presbyterianism was legalised again when William III came to the throne and suppression of the Covenanters ended. To conclude, what of the Covenanters’ nemesis, Clavers? He was killed in the moment of his greatest victory, shot down leading the charge that won the battle of Killiecrankie. As Burns put it in the folk song, “Clavers gat a clankie o!”. But what of his pact with the Devil? Well, the Covenanters had an explanation for this also. It was said the bullet drove a silver coat button into his heart, and thus he was not killed by iron or lead. The Devil got his soul without breaking their covenant.