Hamilton Martyrs' Monuent

Hamilton Parish Churchyard

Hamilton

Lanarkshire

NGR - NS *

 

On entering the churchyard at Hamilton, the memorial is located on the east wall. Next to it is the Earnock Covenanters' Monument, and a modern plaque.

The 'Heads' memorial has the inscription:

At Hamilton

lie the  heads  of

JOHN PARKER, GAVIN HAMILTON,

J A M E S   H A M I L T O N,

and

C H R I S T O P H E R   S T R A N G

who suffered  at

EDINBURGH

Decr.  7th  1666.

----------------------------------------------------

OOOO

[four heads in relief]

Stay, passenger,  take  notice

what thou  reads:

At Edinburgh  lie  our  bodies,

here our  heads.

Our right  hand  stood  at  Lanark,

these we  want,

Because with  them  we  sware

the Covenant.

Renewed

MDCCCXXVIII

 

Hamilton Martyrs

 

After the Battle of Rullion Green, four Covenanters were tried and sentenced to death, which was carried out in Edinburgh on 7 December 1666. Their heads were severed from their bodies and sent to Hamilton, where they were to be displayed on pikes. They were John Parker, Gavin Hamilton. James Hamilton and Christopher Strang.