Reformation Tours – John Graham of Claverhouse

The Black Bull Inn sits in the picturesque town of Moffat. It was commandeered by John Graham of Claverhouse and used as his headquarters during the period of the 1680’s known as the “Killing Times”. He had been assigned the task of suppressing the Covenanters in the southwest of Scotland and his brutality towards them soon earned him the nickname “Bloody Clavers”. From here they would set out on patrols, scouring the surrounding countryside trying to find any wanted Covenanters or to try and find their illegal worship services (conventicles). As well as the Black Bull Inn, his dragoons were billeted all over the town in ordinary peoples’ homes, who had to feed and water them despite their terrible behaviour towards the townspeople.

Behind the inn and across the street is the old churchyard with the remaining gable wall of the old kirk. In 1685, Claverhouse and his men herded the people of the town into the churchyard and ordered them to take the oath of allegiance. But word had got out this was going to happen and the town was unusually quiet on that day as most of the townsfolk took to the hills.