Ingliston Martyrs' Stone

Five Covenanters, James Bennoch, Robert Edgar, John Gibson, Robert Grierson and Robert Mitchell, were in hiding here on 28 April 1685 when they were captured and shot. Colonel Douglas and Lieutenant Livingston took them to an adjoining thorn tree where they were shot. This tree was located around fifty yards to the east of the stone, almost in front of the farmhouse. Four of them were buried in the kirkyard at Glencairn.

Robert Grierson belonged to Balmaclellan, so his body was taken there for burial, and a flat tablestone marks his grave.

John Gibson was the brother of James Gibson of Ingliston, heritor of the property. James Bennoch belonged to the parish of Glencairn, in which the stone lies. Robert Edgar had apparently recently been requested to take the Oath of Abjuration but had fled from his home instead. Robert Mitchell belonged to Cumnock, probably New Cumnock. 

A local, Andrew Watson, had tried to infiltrate the Covenanters and he was supplying information to the local dragoons. He told them of a meeting in a cave in Glencairn and the soldiers managed to find it. The five Covenanters were captured, one of them being wounded in the attack. Douglas sentenced them to death there and then. John Gibson was met by his sister and mother before he died - he was first to be shot. The other four were shot in turn, but one of them appears to have retained some life, noticed by a soldier named Ferguson, who drew his sword and stabbed him. 

Ingliston Martyrs' Stone

Ingliston Mains

Moniaive

Dumfriesshire

NGR - NX 797895

The small headstone is located behind a stone dike in what was the garden of the farmhouse. Ingliston Mains is located just off the minor road on the south side of the Cairn Water from the main A 702 road, just over one mile from Kirkland Bridge at Kirkland of Glencairn. At Lower Ingliston the Ingliston Mains farm access road can be followed to the site, just before the farm steading itself.

The small headstone measures around three feet in breadth by around two feet two incles tall. The top of the stone is curved. The stone bears the inscription:

In this yard were shot John Gibson

James Bennoch, Robert Edgar,

Robert Mitchell and Robert Grier

son, April 28 1685 by Colonel

Douglass and Livingstoun's Dra

goons for adhereing to Christ's king

ly government in his church against

tyrannie, perjurie and prelacie.