Hunter and Smith's Gravestone

St Cuthbert's Cemetery

St Cuthbert's Road

Kirkcudbright

NGR - NX 691511

 

 

A gravestone in the kirkyard, or older part of the cemetery, commemorates Hunter and Smith. The inscription reads as follows:

 

WILLIAM HOUNTURE     ROBERT SMITH 1684   

THIS MONUMENT SHALL SHEW POSTERITY

TWO HEADLES MARTYRES UNDER IT DOTH LY

BY BLOODY GRHAME WERE TAKEN AND SURPRISED

BROUGHT TO THIS TOUNE AND AFTERWARD WERE SAIZ'D

BY UNJUST LAW WERE SENTENCED TO DIE

THEM FIRST THEY HANG'D THEN HEADED CRUELY

CAPTANS DOUGLAS BRUCE GRHAME OF CLEVERHOUS

WERE THESE THAT CAUSED THEM BE HANDLED THUS

AND   WHEN   THEY   WERE   UNTO   THE   GIBBET   COME

TO STOPE THEIR SPEECH THEY DID BEAT UP THE DRUM

AND ALL BECAUS THAT THEY WOULD NOT COMPLY

WITH   INDULGENCE   AND   BLOODIE   PRELACIE

IN FACE OF CRUEL BRUCE DOUGLAS AND GRHAME

THEY DID MAINTAINE THAT CHRIST WAS LORD SUPREAM

AND BOLDLY OUNED BOTHE THE COVENANTS

AT KIRKCUDBRIGHT THUS ENDED THESE TWO SANTS

 

[the top edge]  HERE LIES AGNES KIRK

[the side edge] DAUGHTER TO THOMAS KIRK MEARCHAND IN KIRKCUDBRIGHT

WIlliam Hunter and Robert Smith's Gravestone

 

Hunter and Smith were captured by John Graham of Claverhouse at Auchencloy in 1684 and were taken to Kirkcudbright Tolbooth, where they were held prior to their trial. They were sentenced to die in 1684, and on their day of execution were not allowed to write letters to their friends. When they tried to speak to the crowds prior to the execution, soldiers beat their drums. Following their execution, their heads were decapitated.