Windy Hill Memorial

A short walk from the High Street of Wigtown stands a monument to a small group of individuals who played a big part in the history of Scotland during a period of religious upheaval. Windy Hill Monument, dedicated to the Wigtown Martyrs, stands as a reminder of the conviction felt by many to hold onto their own faith when threatened.

There is an inscription on all four faces of the base with the north side stating;

"This Monument has been erected in memory of the noble army of Martyrs in Galloway and other parts of Scotland by whom during the age of persecution our Religion and Liberties as now established were secured AND as a lesson to posterity never to lose or abuse these glorious privileges planted by their labour, rooted in their suffering and watered in their blood."

The west side stating;

"A general desire having been manifested to commemorate by some suitable monument the piety, constancy and courage of the Scottish Martyrs especially those whose ashes repose in the Churchyard of Wigtown, a committee of gentlemen from the district was appointed to carry out this object and a considerable fund being raised by public subscription and otherwise the present Monument was erected in the year 1858."

The south side stating;

"Inscription on the Tombstone of Margaret Wilson in the Churchyard of Wigtown Let earth and stone still witness bear, There lies a virgin Martyr here Murdered for owning Christ supreme Head of His Church and no more crime, But not abjuring Presbitery And her not owning Prelacy They her condemned by unjust law Of Heaven or Hell they stood no awe Within the sea tied to a stake She suffered for Christ Jesus sake The actors of this cruel crime Was Lagg, Strachan, Winram and Graham Neither young years nor yet old age Could stop the fury of their rage."

And the east side stating;

"MARGARET WILSON aged 18 daughter of a farmer in Glenvenoch AND MARGARET MACLACHLAN, aged 63 tenant in the farm of Drumjargan both in this County were drowned by sentence of the Public Authorities in the water of the Bladnoch near this place on the 11th May 1685 because they refused to forsake the principles of the Scottish Reformation and to take the government oath abjuring the right of the people to resist the tyranny of their rulers Also WILLIAM JOHNSTONE gardener, and JOHN MILROY chapman in Fintilloch, and GILBERT WALKER servant in Kirkala, all in this County were summarily executed in the town of Wigtown, in the same year and for the same cause."

The 17th century in Scotland was a period marked by religious strife. The struggle between Presbyterianism, a form of Christianity emphasising individual faith and congregational governance, and Episcopalianism, a hierarchical system more akin to Catholicism, intensified during the reigns of Charles II and James VII. Covenanters, staunch believers in Presbyterianism, faced relentless persecution for refusing to conform to the imposed Episcopalian practices.

Among those standing firm in their faith were five individuals from Wigtown who would become known as the Martyrs. Three men - William Johnston, John Milroy, and George Walker - and two women, Margaret Wilson and Margaret MacLachlan - refused to renounce their Presbyterian beliefs or pledge allegiance to the King. This unwavering conviction brought them before a ruthless Royal Commission in May 1685, accused of attending "coventicles", illegal gatherings for worship and prayer.

The trial was a sham. Torture, including the barbaric practice of holding burning matches to the women's fingers, was used to force them to recant. With unwavering courage, all five defied the Commission. The men were sentenced to be hanged, while the women, deemed unfit for a "manly" death, were to be drowned in the rising tide of the Solway Firth.

On May 11th 1685, Margaret Wilson and Margaret MacLachlan walked to their gruesome execution with heads held high. Tied to stakes in the mudflats, they faced their fate with unwavering faith. As the tide rose, slowly consuming them, their story of courage and conviction became etched in the memories of the townspeople. The location is marked by the Martyr's Stake.

While the initial aftermath of the executions was a chilling silence, the spirit of the Wigtown Martyrs refused to be extinguished. Over time, the local community sought a way to commemorate their sacrifice. In 1858, the monument on Windy Hill was erected. This tall obelisk, built from dressed ashlar stone, stands as a beacon of remembrance, visible for miles across the rolling hills.