#Dumfries & Galloway

[thesilicontribesman]

Collapsed Sea Arches at Powillimount Shoreline, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

Like the Thirlstane Arch, the other caves and arches along the coast would have offered ancient shelter.

[samheughanupdates]

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🌟 Sam Heughan at The Cairndale Hotel and Spa! 🌟 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

We had the absolute pleasure of welcoming none other than Sam Heughan, star of Outlander, for a relaxing Spa Stay at The Cairndale this weekend 🛁✨

We’re also pleased to also be serving Sam’s very special Sassenach Gin… which can be found in our brand-new lounge bar! 👀 🍸

🎉 It's the perfect pairing for a day of relaxation or a delightful afternoon with friends.

Thank you, Sam, for staying with us. We can't wait to welcome you all to experience the same amazing stay!

📸 The Cairndale Hotel and Spa Facebook

[wgm-beautiful-world]

Threave Castle - SCOTLAND

[scotianostra]

On May 11th 1685 Margaret Lachlane, or McLachlan, and Margaret Wilson were put to death.

The sins of our past are sair tae bare at times and this is certainly one that qualifies as such, what makes it all the more sad is that they had been reprieved, but the distance from Edinburgh to Wigtown but for reasons unknown it never made it to save the women.

Here’s the background, some of you might know but not all, back in 17th century religion was very important to most people in Scotland, indeed the worldover. The reformation waa over and Protestants were in the vast majority, especially in the more populace lowlands. By now The Stuart Monarchy ruled both Scotland and England, having survived a civil war in which Charles I lost his head, eventually his son, Charle II was invited back to take the throne. You would have thought that Charles II had learned his lesson, his old boy had tried to enforce the English form of the Protestant religion in Scotland but failed, young Charles tried again but the Scots were not having it, many Scots signed what is known as The National Covenant that pledged to defend “their” true religion against innovations like those down south. Many were put to death for refusing to swear allegiance to the King and “his” prayer book. Over the years there were many battles and lives lost, it is now known in Scotland as “The Killing Time"

ny way the people thought it might come to an end in February 1658 when Charles II died, those who had been hiding from persecution started returning to their homes, including the young Wilson girls who were sheltered at the home of Margaret McLachlan, a 63 year old widow who lived at Drumjargan in Kirkinner Parish. A local man betrayed them when they came into Wigtown, and the two girls were taken prisoner. At the same time, Margaret McLachlan was seized while at prayer in her own home, and held in custody with them. The women were required to take the Oath of Abjuration which had earlier been administered to everyone in the County over the age of 13 years. This had been introduced on 25 November 1684 by the Privy Council, in order to catch sympathisers of Richard Cameron. In a public declaration at Sanquhar Cross, Cameron had denounced the King as a tyrant and declared war on him.

Refusal to swear the Oath allowed execution without trial; men could be hanged or shot; a new sentence had been introduced for women: death by drowning. The women refused the Oath and were brought before the Commission. The Commissioners, Grierson of Lagg, Sheriff David Graham (Claverhouse’s brother), Major Windram, Captain Strachan and Provost Coltrane of Wigtown, have been described as “five of the most vicious scoundrels in Scotland”.

Margaret McLachlan with Margaret and Agnes Wilson were found guilty on all charges and they were sentenced “to be tyed to palisadoes and fixed in the sand, within the flood mark, at the mouth of the Blednoch stream, and there to stand till the flood over flowed them, and [they] drowned”. Agnes Wilson (aged only thirteen at the time) was reprieved, when her father promised to pay a bond of £100, a fortune in that day.

A pardon was issued in Edinburgh, dated 30 April 1685, for both women

It remains a mystery what happened to it, since no record of it remains beyond the Council Chamber. They were taken out and tied to stakes in the waters of the Bladnoch on 11 May 1685. The older woman was tied deeper in the river channel forcing young Margaret to witness her death, in the hope that she would relent. Instead, she seemed to take strength from the older woman’s fate, singing a psalm, and quoting scripture.

The events are recorded in the Kirk Session records of both Penninghame and Kirkinner parishes, vouched for by elders and ministers who were present on the day, and the records confirmed by the Presbytery of Wigtown. The Penninghame records say that Margaret Wilson’s head was held up from the water, in order to ask her if she would pray for the King. She answered that she wished the salvation of all men, but the damnation of none. When her watching relatives cried out that this proved she was willing to conform, Major Windram offered her the Oath of Abjuration again, but she refused, saying “I am one of Christ’s children; let me go”.

The Kirkinner records state that Margaret McLachan’s head had been “held down within the water by one of the town officers by his halberd at her throat, til she died”. A popular account adds that the officer said “then tak’ another drink o’t my hearty”. Legend has it that for the rest of his life the man had an unquenchable thirst, and had to stop and drink from every ditch, stream, or tap he passed, and he was deserted by his friends.

Likewise the constable named Bell, who had carried out his duties with a notable lack of feeling, allegedly said, when asked how the women had behaved, “O, they just clepped roun the stobs, like partans and prayed”. Clepped means web-footed, partans are crabs. Bell’s wife bore three children all with “clepped” fingers, and the family was referred to as “the Cleppie Bells” which was believed to be the sins of the father being visited on the children.

It was not only women who died, William Johnstone, John Milroy and George Walker were hanged in Wigtown the same year, for refusal to take the oath, but Margaret Wilson, due to her young age has become the most famous of the martyrs and is the subject of a famous painting by the English artist John Everett Millais called The Martyr of Solway.

Art conservators have x-rayed the painting and found out that Millais had originally painted the upper torso of the young woman naked. However when the painting was exhibited in 1871 there were strong puritanical views on nudity in paintings and Millais’ work offended Victorian sensibilities. It was badly received and was the butt of many negatively critical reviews. Hence it was painted over to save the Victorian eyes of such a sight!

The photo is from Stirling Old Town Cemetery a monument to the Wigtown Martyrs, further afield a Victorian statue of Margaret Wilson’s martyrdom is on display at Knox College, University of Toronto, Canada, as seen in the second pic, the third pic is the Martyrs' Grave, Wigtown parish church, Dumfries and Galloway.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

25 March 2024

The Princess Royal has paid her respects to those who lost their lives in the Lockerbie bombing, which happened 35 years ago.

On 21 December 1988, a bomb exploded on Pan Am Flight 103 from Frankfurt to Detroit as it flew above the Dumfries and Galloway town, killing all 259 passengers and crew onboard.

A further 11 people died on the ground as parts of the wreckage landed on homes in the town.

Princess Anne visited Dryfesdale cemetery and the visitor centre on the town’s outskirts to remember those who lost their lives to the bombing.

She met officials from Dumfries and Galloway Council, as well as others involved in keeping the memory of those who lost their lives alive.

She was joined by Fiona Armstrong, Lord Lieutenant of Dumfries.

Ms Armstrong, also a newsreader and reporter, covered the bombing while working as a journalist.

The princess was shown around the visitor centre and spoke those in attendance.

She signed the visitor guestbook and unveiled a small plaque created in honour of her visit to the site.

Shortly afterwards, she walked through the graveyard to the official memorial for those who were killed as a result of the bombing, where she laid a special wreath signed by her in commemoration of the dead.

Ahead of laying the wreath, Ms Armstrong said:

“I was there on that night and I saw first-hand how this town rallied, how it copes and has continued to cope over the decades.

You could never be more proud of a community. A disaster like this can never be forgotten.

So much grief, such senseless losses, 270 innocent lives, remembered here on this memorial, each and every name will never be forgotten.

Lockerbie’s moto is forward, and we move together in hope.

Your Royal Highness, your brother, now the King, came here following the disaster.

Your mother, the late Queen; your father, the Duke of Edinburgh; also came here some years after to pay their respects.

And how we are honoured to have you here today, as the Princess Royal, but we also ask you to lay a wreath, please, of remembrance.”

Former Libyan intelligence officer, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, remains the only person to have been convicted following the atrocity.

He was found guilty of 270 counts of murder by a panel of three Scottish judges, sitting at a special court in the Hague in 2001 and was imprisoned in Scotland.

He was granted compassionate release in 2009 after being diagnosed with terminal cancer and returned to Libya where he died in 2012.

Libyan Abu Agila Masud is alleged to have helped make the bomb.

He is to go on trial in the US in May 2025 facing three charges which he denies.

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) cub standing among Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum), Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland, UK. August.

Photographer: Danny Green

[mightywellfan]

Castle Kennedy

Castle Kennedy is a ruined 17th-century tower house, about 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway

The property belonged to the Kennedys from 1482; the castle was started in 1607, on the site of an earlier stronghold, by John Kennedy, 5th Earl of Cassilis. After a brief period in the hands of the Hamiltons of Bargany the property passed to the Dalrymples of Stair around 1677.

The castle was gutted by fire in 1716, and it was never restored.

[wild-e-eep]

Failed bird's nest made from moss, lichen and sheep's wool.

I found the eggs on the ground under a tree; and looking up, saw the nest hanging upside down from a branch. :'(

[virtualscotland]

An early morning walk around the historic Dumfries town centre in the south of Scotland - what a lovely and underrated place to visit! We weren't there for very long but are looking forward to going back during the summer - lovely walk along the river! 😀 Hope you enjoy!

[phillhall]

[madbirdwoman]

[thesilicontribesman]

Kirkcudbright Contemporary Standing Stones, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

[samheughanupdates]

samheughan Popped down to where I was born, in Dumfries and Galloway, to visit @cairndalehotelspa 🙌

Now serving @sassenachspirits Wild Scottish Gin, inspired by local Scottish botanicals.

Make sure you check out their fabulous new spa and sip on a delicious Sassenach cocktail.

💚

(Featured in @dglifemag )

[mostlyuk]

Moniaive, in Dumfries and Galloway, South-West Scotland by James Johnstone

[scotianostra]

On April 16th 1914 the Galloway born writer and ‘Scotland’s Forgotten Bestseller’ S.R.Crockett died.

Born plain Sam Crocket at Little Duchrae in Balmaghie, Galloway on 24th September 1859, he was raised in Castle Douglas, won the Galloway Bursary to Edinburgh University in 1876 and supported himself by journalism and as a travelling tutor.

His Scottish works, many set in Galloway, unveil social history and the reality of life for the rural working classes, as well as delving into the history of the Covenanters and the Hanoverian period.

Travelling extensively he also wrote European novels, often based in Spain and France. His work was widely serialised in the late 19th century and was both ‘popular’ and commercially successful. This led to jealousy and accusations (unfounded) of being a ‘Kailyard’ writer, though his writing ranges far and wide over a thirty year career. However, the kailyard writer label stuck and sadly it means that many who might really enjoy reading about Scotland and her people from the perspective of the ‘ordinary’ rural dweller have missed out for generations.

For anyone who enjoys Stevenson, Hardy or Dickens, Crockett has plenty to offer. 9 years ago The Galloway Raiders was founded to preserve his memory and promote his life and writing. To date more than 40 of his novels/short story collections have been republished and he is finding a whole new readership of folk who can see beyond the stigma of labels and enjoy history adventure and romance in their fiction.

Throughout his life Crockett never forgot his native Galloway and though his native Galloway has all but forgotten him, The Galloway Raiders’ exist to commemorate and celebrate his writing all over the world. find out more at www.gallowayraiders.co.uk

[paulofcongleton]

Sandyhills, April 2023