Discover the Covenanters in Lanarkshire

Visit Lanarkshire and Discover the Covenanters

South Lanarkshire’s open moors and hills are dotted with reminders of a time when Royalist troops under the command of Bloody Claverhouse and the Covenanters played a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Throughout much of the 17th century there was a clash between ordinary people and how they chose to worship and the divine right of the Stuart kings. It was tug-of-war of allegiances that often ended in death.

Covenanters objected to the interference of James VII, Charles I and later Charles II in their religious affairs. In 1638 many nobleman, church ministers and ordinary people signed the National Covenant in an act of defiance that rejected the king’s appointed bishops and his prayer book.

Above all the Covenant upheld the Presbyterian from of religious worship.

In 1662, after ten years of relative calm, things became very difficult. Charles II demanded that all church ministers resign and reapply to his bishops for re-appointment.

More than 270 refused and they took their congregations out of the churches and onto the moors and hills to worship.

To attend these open-sir services was a treasonable act punishable by death and it was the job of John Graham of Claverhouse and his dragoons to seek them out and punish the participants.

Constantly patrolling the area Claverhouse often ordered executions and meted out brutal punishments on the spot. Torture was commonplace.

It was a time of unbearable tension in the south-west of Scotland that often spilled over into open rebellion. In 1666, 900 Covenanters marched from Galloway to Edinburgh in a spontaneous uprising against the brutal repression of their faith.

Ultimately it was an ill-fated venture and the Covenanters were routed by a well-trained and well-equipped army at the Battle of Rullion Green in the Pentland Hills.

In June 1679 the Covenanters won a rare victory against Claverhouse at the Battle of Drumclog. Claverhouse was knocked from his horse and was lucky to escape with his life.

Lifted by the victory the Covenanters rallied and three weeks later 4000 gathered by the River Clyde at Bothwell Bridge. However once again they were no match for professional soldiers under the command of the duke of Monmouth and their defeat was a heavy one.

A lasting legacy of these times is the Cameronian regiment. Named after prominent Covenanter Richard Cameron the regiment was raised in 1689 and defeated the Jacobites at Dunkeld weeks later. The Earl of Angus statue in Douglas points to the spot where the regiment was raised and disbanded in 1968

Memorials in Rural Lanarkshire

Battle of Bothwell Bridge – a stone pillar at the Bothwell end of the bridge marks the site of decisive battle that took place on Sunday, 22nd June 1679.
Biggar – the Greenhill Covenanters’ House Museum was brought brick buy brick from its original location near Wiston. Covenanters were often sheltered in this house and the house is furnished as it would have been at the time.
Carluke – the Rev Peter Kidd was imprisoned in the Bass rock for repeatedly refusing to recognise Charles II as the head of the church. His grave can be found in Carluke Parish Churchyard.
Craignethan Castle – Andrew Hay, a notable Covenanter bought the castle from the duchess of Hamilton in 1659. The castle also features as Tillietudlem castle in Sir Walter Scott’s Covenanting novel Old Mortality.
Dalserf – 52 parishioners are said to have suffered for the Covenanting cause. The churchyard contains a memorial to the unyielding Covenanater, Rev John MacMillan who died in 1753.
Dolphinton – Major Joseph Learmont who commanded the horsemen at the battle of Rullion Green is buried in the churchyard.
Douglas – there is a memorial to James Gavin who had his ears cut off for attending an illegal prayer meeting. At the end of Main Street is the Sun Inn (private) where Claverhouse is known to have stayed with the head and hands of Richard Cameron.
Drumclog – the battle site lies three miles to the west of the village. The site is marked by a large stone pillar.
Dunsyre – William Somervil a signatory to the National Covenant in 1638 is buried in the churchyard and the original marker stone for the Covenanter’s grave that can be found just below the summit of Black Law (NT 078 522). The Covenanter died of injuries received at the battle of Rullion Green.
Hamilton – the Low Parks Museum contains within it the Cameronian Museum where the regiment’s records and archives can be researched - www.cameronians.org
Lanark – memorial in Saint Kentigern’s churchyard lists the men of Lanark who were condemned as traitors, fined without trial and those forced to live as outlaws. Closer to the old church is the grave of William Hervie who was executed in Edinburgh for participating in the battle of Bothwell Bridge.
Lesmahagow – Thomas Weir, shot at the battle of Drumclog is buried in the churchyard as is Thomas Linning, a Covenanter minister who renewed the Covenants at Boreland hill in 1689.
Skellyhill farm – two miles south-west of Lesmhagow there is a memorial to David Steel who was shot by Highland troops at his family’s farm having been tricked into believing he would receive a fair trial.
Stonehouse – James Thomson died of his wounds at the Battle of Drumclog and is buried in the churchyard of Stonehouse parish church.
Strathaven – three Covenanters – William Dingwall, John Barrie and William Paterson – are buried in Strathaven cemetery. Claverhouse stayed at Strathaven castle the night before the battle of Drumclog. The castle was also used as a prison for Covenanters.
Thankerton – a roadside memorial at the spot where hardline Covenanter Donald Cargill was arrested by bounty hunter Irvine of Bonshawe.