Battle Of Drumclog

NS63NW 9.00 624 397

NS63NW 9.01 NS 6254 3961 monument

(NS 624 397) Site of the Battle of Drumclog (NR) 1st June 1679 (NAT)

OS 6" map (1958)

(NS 6257 3972) Human Bones found (NAT)

(NS 626 398) Site of the Marsh in which the Horses of the Dragoons became entangled when charging the Covenanters (NAT)

OS 6" map (1912)

On 1st June 1679, a conventicle was held at Loudon Hill. Though Claverhouse was known to be in the neighbourhood, there was an attendance of 250 armed men who moved to Drumclog, a farm in swampy ground about two miles E of Loudon Hill. The commander was Robert Hamilton. When discovered by Claverhouse and his dragoons, some skirmishing took place, followed by a general engagement, the Covenanters advancing and defeating the force of Claverhouse.

M Brander 1975

A monument (at NS 6255 3962) marks the site of this battle. It is inscribed: "In commemoration of the victory obtained on this battlefield on Sabbeth 1st June 1679 by our Covenanting forefathers over Grahame of Claverhouse and his dragoons."

The whole field, including the former marsh, is now under plough.

Visited by OS (JD) 18 March 1955.

This battlefield was included in a nation-wide study of key battle sites. A detailed gazetteer was created by The Battlefield Trust, which includes an historical overview of each site, detailed assessments of the action and its location and the number of troops involved, casualties, sources of information and an interpretation of the events and its impact on history. For more detail see the gazetteer and associated materials - MS 2522.

This battle or skirmish was a result of Charles II's increasingly extreme controls on non-conformity. A group of Covenanters revolted after the assassination of Archbishop Sharp. They met the government forces here and, heavily outnumbered, the government troops fled, resulting in further skirmishes in the area.

G Foard, T Partida 2005