MSPs Linda Fabiani and Christina McKelvie took part in a historic church service and ceremony last week to unveil a new memorial to four Lanarkshire men who were executed in 1666 for their part in defending the National Covenants of Scotland.
The memorial plaque in Hamilton Old Parish Curchyard is the work of the Scottish Covenanter Memorials Association, which is dedicated to preserving and maintaining Covenanter graves and memorials and to raising awareness of this era of Scotland’s history. The plaque is placed next to a stone marking the site of the burial of the heads of four Covenanters, Gavin Hamilton of Carluke, James Hamilton of Glassford, John Parker of Busby, and Christopher Strang of Lickprivick in East Kilbride.
Strathaven-based MSP Linda Fabiani, who tabled a motion in the Scottish Parliament to mark the occasion of the plaque’s dedication, said:
“This was a fascinating and moving event, which really brought to life this incredible period in Scotland’s history. These four men, including two from the East Kilbride area, showed great courage and determination in defending Scotland’s National Covenants and suffered a brutal fate as a result – as we can clearly see from the fact that it is only their heads that are buried in Hamilton Old Parish Churchyard.
“The Covenant movement was hugely important in securing Scotland’s distinctive identity as a nation at a time when it was under attack. The Scottish Covenanter Memorials Association is to be congratulated for their excellent work, not only in preserving these vital historical monuments, but also in ensuring that future generations continue to learn about the Covenanters and their role in Scotland’s national story.”
Fellow Lanarkshire MSP Christina McKelvie said:
“Lanarkshire was one of the heartlands of the Covenanting movement, as today’s service and dedication in Hamilton have shown. I’ve learned a great deal today about the Covenanters and their historical significance, and I’m delighted that this new memorial will help others to do the same – as well as preserving the memory of four brave sons of Lanarkshire.
“The original stone memorial is both a chilling and fascinating insight into this historical era and I would definitely recommend that local people and visitors to Hamilton pop into the Hamilton Old Parish Churchyard to see it for themselves.”
