Dead Wife's Grave
Cairn (Post Medieval)
Site Name Dead Wife's Grave
Classification Cairn (Post Medieval)
Canmore ID 49831
Site Number NT13NE 29
NGR NT 1892 3511
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/49831
- Council Scottish Borders, The
- Parish Drumelzier
- Former Region Borders
- Former District Tweeddale
- Former County Peebles-shire
NT13NE 29 1892 3511.
(NT 1892 3511) Dead Wife's Grave (NAT)
OS 6" map, (1967).
A cairn or pile of stones at the junction of the parishes of Manor, Stobo and Drumelzier, where an old wife was buried who was found dead on the roadside at some remote period.
Name Book 1856.
Field Visit (October 1955)
NT 189 351. Dead Wife's Grave (Site).
No remains of any structure are to be seen at the point marked "Dead Wife's Grave" on the 6-inch O.S. map, where the old road from Dawyck Mill to the Manor Water passes through a gate in the parish boundary-dyke. Here, according to Armstrong (1775, 34) "it is said, a female Hibernian, sharing the perilous fate of her husband, fell a sacrifice to the forward zeal and inveteracy of the country people". Chambers, who also records this tradition (1864, 434), suggests with much probability that the victim was a fugitive from the battle of Philiphaugh (1645). Montrose's army included a large contingent of Scottish Macdonalds from Antrim, who would naturally have been regarded as Irish and many of these with their female followers were massacred after the battle by country folk, or, as John Buchan considers more likely ('Montrose', 293), by the Covenanting troops.
RCAHMS 1967, visited October 1955.
Sbc Note (21 March 2016)
Visibility: This was the site of an archaeological monument, which may no longer be visible.
Information from Scottish Borders Council
Previously also listed under duplicate site NT96SW 510 -CANCELLED. HES (LCK) 11.6.2024
