Covenanter History – Robert Stewart and John Grierson

This is the grave of Robert Stewart and John Grierson and a part of the wording on it.

They were in a group of eight Covenanters that were surprised and attacked by Claverhouse and his dragoons at Auchencloy on 18 December 1684.

Two men escaped, and the others seeing no way out began to fight back. One man, James MacMichael, fought Claverhouse and overpowered him, Claverhouse’s life was only saved by his steel helmet, as the Covenanters sword struck it several time. Eventually another dragoon heard Claverhouse cry out for help and riding over killed MacMichael with a sword blow to his head. The other five Covenanters were quickly overpowered by the soldiers and arrested.

Robert Stewart and John Grierson alongside a man called Robert Ferguson were all shot on the spot for daring to fight back. The other two William Hunter and Robert Smith were both taken back to Kirkcudbright, executed by hanging, then beheaded.

Robert Stewart and John Grierson’s bodies were later taken by friends to the churchyard in St John’s town of Dalry and given a proper burial. The authorities heard of this and ordered them dug up and buried in the part of the graveyard reserved for criminals, which is where this gravestone is today.