THE GHOSTS OF GALLOWAY

A New Horizons Paper.

Copyright: The New Horizons Research Foundation.

A p r i l 1985.

The Ghosts Of Galloway

" O r * / Qel loMgr* I s by m m n e o f the lands o f ths G a e l . I t s

• m i « and f e l l s , leehe and • c o n t a i n * a a s i m i l s t * I t to the aoenlc beauty

of tho H i g h l a n d s , though tha i n h a b i t a n t s would regard themselves as n e i t h e r H igh land men nor lowland » e n , but as Galwegians . Scotland's southwestern p r o r l n o e comprlees tho St ewer t r y o f K i r k c u d b r i g h t and

tho S h i r e o f Wig t on . I t i s i n s u l a t e d fron England by Dumfr iessh i re

sad by the waters o f the Solway F i r t h which indent the c o a s t l i n e in the gree t bays o f Laos and o f Wigtown, and the l e a s e r i n l e t s of F l e e t end

K i r o t t d b r l g h t . Though the "Sco t t Country" p roper l e the B o r d e r , the

A u t h o r o f Waverley was i n t e r e s t e d i n the Galloway coas t . Those whores

p rov ided the s o t t i n g f o r Guy Mannorlng, and suggested themes f o r

O l d M o r t a l i t y , the B r i d e o f Laaaojaaoor, and the Heart of M i d l o t h i a n .

As tho heme i n t imes pas t of r e b e l s , g y p s i e s , and smugglers , the

P r o r l n o e fu rn i she s s imple meat f o r h i s t o r i c a l romance. B u t I t also f i g u r e e i n the annals of p s y c h i c r e sea rch . S s r l y In the lest century

C a t h a r i n e £ f O w e i n her book The B i g h t S ide o f Nature broke now ground if »<

by i n t r o d u c i n g B r i t i s h readers to the concept of the P o l t e r g e i s t .

P o l t e r g e i s t i s a to rn from Osrman f o l k l o r e meaning a "no i sy ghost"

snd was, no doubt, used • one what humourously In reference to unexplained

n o i s e s , nowadays ws use the word to desc r ibe a p a r t i c u l a r so r t o f haunt­

i n g . A p o l t e r g e i s t haunt ing i s one i n which i n e x p l i c a b l e rapp ing ,

s c r a t c h i n g , or thudding no i ses a re heard, o r i n s t e a d household objec ts

perform I n e x p l i c a b l e movements. Be fo re the haunt ing can s e f s l y be

regarded as e p s y c h i c phenomenon, we have r i g o r o u s l y to exclude mundane

e x p l a n a t i o n s In t e n s of p r a c t i c a l j o k i n g , or n a t u r a l causes such as tho c r a c k i n g or s h i f t i n g of the s t r u c t u r e of the house. Bu t sane w e l l -

* S>u S c o t t ( t ? * h l & 2 ) * H b £ivit UJxv<=t^

s u t h e n t i c a t e d caeea do oeear i n which n a t u r a l esuess f a i l to tap l a i n

the happsnings. ^/u.yvi^Coa.s ©f t h s s t occurrences bare been repor ted In

There i s BO evidence s u f f i c i e n t to prove bone f i d e p o l t e r g e i s t

heunt ings t o be due to dieenfeodied ghos t s , s p i r i t s , o r "eleraentales*.

However the happsnings i » a p o l t e r g e i s t ease do appear u s u a l l y to be

aesoe l s t ed w i t h the presence on or Bear the ecene o f one p a r t i c u l a r

person* I t aeess tha t sons component of t h i s p e r s o n ' * p h y s i c a l o r

• e n t a l make-up aehleves these s t range o f f s e t s wi thout he or she be ing

swaps o f how or why they a re happening. Examina t ion o f pas t records

shows that the " p o l t e r g e i s t nediue}" i s u s u a l l y between 1 0 and 20 yea rs

o f age and i s i^c^H^more l i k e l y to be a g i r l than a boy. These

j u v e n i l e s are p h y s i c a l l y and men ta l l y nortnaJJand indeed have of ten

more then average i n t e l l i g e n c e . T h l e suggests that e cor: p i ex norvoue

system i s e r e q u i s i t e f o r the occurrences to take p l s c e , BO that they

can be thought o f as f a l l i n g w i t h i n the realm o f psych ic phenomena.

Of course , we have no idea o f the p s y c h o - p h y s i c a l forces i n v o l v e d or how they are generated. Unfor tuna te ly f o r s c i e n c e , though h a p p i l y

f o r the households i n v o l v e d , these d i s tu rbances ere u s u a l l y e h c r t - l i v e c

so that i n v e s t i g a t i o n i s l i m i t e d . I n s d d i t i o n , p o l t e r g e i s t cases tend

not t o bs repor ted i n the preee o r i n s c i e n t i f i c j o u r n a l s . However

such records s s there may be ere extremely v a l u a b l e , end seme c u r i o s i ty

i s s t i l l aroused by seme v e r y o l d socounts .

I n t e r e s t i n g l y enough C a t h e r i n e £rowe c i t e d as examples of the p o l t e r g e i s t two eases frcm Galloway - bo th i n the seventeenth century .

B e i n g f i r s t repor ted i n an age of s u p e r s t i t i o n and w i t c h c r a f t b e l i e f s ,

they are not of great s c i e n t i f i c u t i l i t y . But from the p o i n t of view

of w r i t e r and reader t h i s d e f i c i e n c y easy perhaps be ease what o f f s e t

* M> c a s e o £ j^fou^ sut>vu,**4<e l a l c / f l ^ c ^ U *ecoSc£.

by t h e i r romantic geograph ica l end h i s t o r i c a l s e t t i n g i n e r i c h l y

e v e n t f u l century* The reader may therefore f i n d i t e n t e r t a i n i n g to accompany the w r i t e r an an Imaginary journey to these haunted scenes,

p e r m i t t i n g some l o i t e r i n g on route i n the o ld h a b i t a t s of some

a d d i t i o n a l Worth B r i t i s h ghos t s .

I f we come down i n t o Kakdale by wey of L i d d e l or T e v i o t , or from the f e l l s of Cumberland ws s h a l l be tempted to de lay a t t i n y Ar thur* t

whose churchyard i s the venue o f one of the f i n e s t of supe rna tu ra l

t a l e e . I n 1680 Robert Ba ty dieu a c c i d e n t a l l y at the age o f 23. H i e

kinsmen I n t e r r e d him i n the graveyard , though he had wished to l i e

w i t h i n the church i n the v a u l t o f h i s mother 'a f a m i l y , the Grahams of G r a b a m a h i l l . H i s ghost cane by n igh t to h i s youngest s i s t e r Mary,

u p b r s i d i n g l y , w i t h th rea t s to molest h i s f a i t h l e s s k i n s f o l k * But Mary feared not and promised a i d . Next morning the earth was found to have been thrown o f f the c o f f i n l i d , and the sa&e happened on the two succeeding n i g h t s dee r i t e the v i g i l a n c e of watcl.ers set on guard

by the Hec to r . L i k e a l a t t e r day Ant igone , Mary a g i t a t e d u n t i l her it VI

kinsmen de r ived a f a c u l t y from the Archbishop o f York p e r m i t t i n g the body to he deposi tee i n the v a u l t . The ghost then appeared at night t Mary f o r the l a s t t ime, d e c l e r l n g " I n peace end at r e s t " . There i s

l i t t l e con f i rma t ion of the s t o r y . I t could have been j u s t an e x p l a ­

na to ry Myth r e s u l t a n t on an a c t u a l reintexr ent of K - b e r t B a t y . The

Bevd. F . G . L e e , to whom we owe t h i s account, t e l l e us that a r eco rd

of the exhumation appeared In the R e g i s t e r Book, a s c r i b i n g i t to super n a t u r a l i n t e r v e n t i o n , but the en t ry was s t ruck out i n 17^9 by the

incumbent o f that p a r i a h .

B e t t i n g once again on the h igh road to the west land we (-cajte

i n t o Annandale, l i k e Gal loway, once one o f the lands of the B l a c k

Douglas , the B o r d e r K a r l , pa t ron o f Harry o f the *<yna and the f a i r n a i d o f Perth* l a h i t -Cer ta in ty o f a fforld of S p i r i t s , pub l i shed i n

1691, i l l chard B a x t e r , the E n g l i s h M i n i s t e r , i n c l i n e d tc P r e s b y t r y , g i v e s

a l e t t e r f ree the Puke o f Lauderdale n a r r a t i n g some S c o t t i s h haunt Inge, T h i s was the " c r a f t y Lauderda le" o f slandering W i l l i e * e T e l e t o l d t o

Dara i e La t imer by the ehoree o f S o l way. * • r e c a l l that - T i l l l e ' s 'guu a i r e " found h i e vay through the eood o f H t r o u r k i e t o the i n f e r n a l

regions* There he demanded h i e r e c e i p t f o r r en t from S i r Rober t fieu-

g aunt l e t s e s t sd i n company wi th the wicked l o r d s of R e s t o r a t i o n S< o t -land^j » 3(oo#y. Claverhouse w i t h the f a t & l wound r e c e i v e d et K l l l i e -

c r a n k l e * r e p u t o c l y from s s i l v s r b u l l e t . Though B a x t e r wss e s p e c i a l l y

c r e d u l o u s , Lauderdale seen-a not to have been so . ivhen In h i s P ree -

b y t e r l s n you th he sew the C s t h o l i c nuns "bewitched'- by Grand!er at

Loudon i n France , he remarked that he heard " o n l y bawdy wenchee s i n g ­i n g * . And i t i s w i t h a c e r t a i n humour that he passes on to B a x t e r the s t o r i s s o f the haunt ing of tfr Johnston's house, Powdine, i n Annandale.

Lauderdale had ease to Worcester i n 1651 w i t h the S c o t t i s h army

whose m i s s i o n was t o bestows on England bo th C h a r l e s I I and P r e s -

b y t s M a n l s n a c c o r d i n g t c the Covenant of 1636. Johnston t o l d Mm o f

the long haunt ing o f Powdine and Lauderdale " c a r r i e d him to" h i s

" I f s s t s r [ C h a r l e s 1 , to whoa he made the some R e l a t i o n s : no i se s and

A p p a r l t l o n s , Drums and Trumpets heard before the l a s t war, yea he

• a i d , ecrae E n g l i s h S o l d i e r s Quar te r ing i n h i e House, were soundly has ten by that then l r r e s i s t a b l e I n h a b i t a n t . ' T h i s l a s t 1 wonder'd a t , f o r I r a t h e r sxpeeted he should have been a fiemonstretor, and opposed

the R e s i s t a n c e . ) " Here Lauderdale i r o n i c a l l y qu izzes at the p o l t e r g e l c t

* i W V U « £ £ j i c W f ' j fait M*i£ 4 T V f t .

5

not Doing • Rem ©met rat o r l i k e many i n the southwest. These r e l i g i o u s

e e c t a r i e e approximated i n sone degree to the E n g l i s h Independents or

O o n g r e g a t i o n a l i a t a . Hot a l t o g e t h e r happy at the a u t h o r i t a r i a n r u l e

o f the K i r k * they doubted whether ! I t was God's w i l l to oppose Cromwell

as r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f t o l e r a t i o n i n r e l i g i o n .

At Worcester Cromwell closes/ the t rap i n t o which he had l u r e d the

Soots* sad S c o t l a n d was thereby conquered f o r Kngland a t l a s t . Lauds r -

601**8 l e t t e r t o B a x t e r was seat yea r s a l t e r when I n London s t the

See t o r a t i o n ss s d v l s e r to Char l e s on S c o t t i s h a f f a i r s . Mr James Sharp

then t o l d him that the S p i r i t a t Powdine "now speaks and appears

f r equen t ly i n the shape o f a Baked Ann". T h i s informant was A r c h ­

b i s h o p Sharp, c h a r a c t e r i s e d by Cromwell as "Sharp, o f that I l k " .

Together w i t h Lauderdale he attempted to r e in t roduce elements of K p i s -

c o p a l l a n l a B i n t o S c o t l a n d , h i s b r u t a l a s s a s s i n a t i o n by eec t a r i e e i n

1669 *as p re lude t o the B o t h w e l l B r i g r e b e l l i o n - the subjec t of O l d

M o r t a l i t y . The events o f S c o t t ' s n o v e l , one o f h i s f i n e s t , happens

on the Qlyde,- but the dramatis personae are the C a v a l i e r Claverhouae,

and the 'west l and w h i g e e x t r e m e Covenanters and s e c t a r l e e from the

h i l l s o f Gal loway .

Moadver t ing to the C i v i l War episodes o f Powdine , we would be w e l l

advleed not t o take them o v e r - e e r l o u e l y . Sounds o f bugle and k e t t l e -

drusi were frequent po r t en t s I n those yea r s o f t ens ion and r e l i g i o u s

enthusiasms I n a l l three kingdoms. Nor wsre r o l l i c k i n g d i s tu rbances

unique to Annandale. L o r d Cos t I s conns 11's L i m e r i c k domain was a g i t a t e d

i n 1641 by "drums end trumpets, f e a r f u l screeches and o u t c r i e s , c u r i o u s

Basic w i t h heavenly vo ices • • • P r i e s t s have adventured to be there ,

ba t have been c r u e l l y beaten . . . moreover were sssn ••• I n f i n i t e number

atf a mad man on foot mm w e l l aa on horaabaek*4. A l l t h i s would aeem to

be what R e g i n a l d 8eot designated "rank knavery" . Qhosts end p o l t e r g e i s t s

essm a l s o to bars served ss I r r e g u l a r s i n the I r i s h R e b e l l i o n . The

govs rare en t g a r r i s o n o f O u i n t l n O s s t l s on the c l i f f s of B a l l y m a r t e r

se re plagued i n the w i n t e r of 16\3 by "c rea tu res i n white s h i r t s " who

p u l l e d o f f t h s l r bedc lo thes , w i t h o ther annoyances. &t l a s t one o f

ths s o l d i e r s , going to the c e l l a r found "Gibbaloney, the great d i v e l l

h l n s e l f , s i t t i n g s t the b a r r e l's hssd w i t h s candle i n h i e hsnd t ak ­

i n g tobacco" a f t e r which there was no more s t a y i n g s t B a l l y m a r t e r .

Our scene now e h l f t s to o l e n l u c e . The somewhat e e r i e r e p u t a t i o n

of t h i s p l s c e wss enhanced by i t s r u l n s d C i r s t s r c l a n abbey, and w i l d

d s joorland s t r e t c h i n g to the mershss o f C a r r l c k . Legend Breaks o f t racks

on which not even heather w i l l grow, ca l led*Maggie*s gate to G a l l o w a ' ,

b l a s t e d by the t r a n s i t of the no to r ious w i t c h Maggie Osborne who kept

en i n n s t A y r - ve ry s u c c e e s f u l l y i n fac t - u n t i l , denounced by a s e rv ­

i n g a s i d , she wss duly bu rn t . P ro te s t an t f e e l i n g could o c c a s i o n a l l y

f i n d s j s r i t i n s w i t c h such as fileie M C Taggart who, seated on the

Rh inns of Ga l loway , engulfed s h i p s of the ArnWa i n a storm ever

d amounting ss shs unsounded b a l l o f b lue y a r n . Bu t g e n e r a l l y w i t c h c r a f t

was feared and bated . Most ftalwegians b e l i e v e d w i t h the eminent m P r e e b y t e r i a n P r i n c i p a l B a l l l l e of Glasgow C o l l e g e that there was "much

w i t c h e r l e up and downs our l a n d , though the E n g l i s h be but too spar ing

t o try i t . " B a i l l i e who h e l d " t o l e r a t i o n as a t h i n g f a t a l to r e l i g i o n "

m s l i g h t w e l l be d i s g r u n t l e d s t the s t r i c t r u l e o f the Crcmwel l i en

g e n e r a l s , who tended to p r e f e r Remonstrants and s s c t a r i e s as preachers ,

m end wsrs lukewarm i n s s s i s t l n g ths K i r k to "de le t e" and de le t e witcher.. * -X

^ #fast could happen when the s t rong a m o f the Cannon-seal th mponger

d

d

m

d

7

m

l e y on Synods and P r e s b y t e r i e s , I s I l l u s t r a t e d by the f e r r e t i n g out

sad execu t ion of no l e s s than 9 w i t ches i n s s i n g l e ope ra t ion i n the

S t ewar t ry In 1669. As l s t s s s 1696 B l s p s t h M cKwen ess burn t a t

K l r k c u r b r l g h t a f t s r two years bsrbsrous imprisonment, be ing f i r s t

d e l a t e d s t D a i r y f o r drawing m i l k from her ne ighbour ' s cows by

s o r c e r y .

Wo a l r eady know o f 01 en luce from the preface to the B r i d e o f

which concerns the murder o f a bridegroom by h i s u n w i l l i n g

b r i d e on tho wedding n i g h t . I t was Insp i red by Robert La%'-£ "Kemorlelle" d which mention the daughter o f Dal rymple , Lord S t a i r , b e ing dragged

about by the d e v i l i n the n u p t i a l chamber. But, of course, we kno?;

**' the t rue d r eams taneee to have been qu i t e o the rwise , the poor g i r l

b a r i n g d ied n a t u r a l l y a f o r t n i g h t a f t s r ths wedding i n 1669, the groom d

s u r v i v i n g her by many yea r s . *?hen P r i n c i p a l B a i l l i e complained o f

m f n g l l o h l a x i t y I t was i n reference to one o f Catherinefrbwe'e caaes -

the D e v i l o f G l e n l u e e . T h i s v i s i t a t i o n was i n 1654 to the house of

d G i l b e r t Campbell a poor "webstsr" or weaver. I l l s son, Tom, then i n h i s teens , l a t e r wrote out an account f o r George S i n c l a i r , The l a t t e r was

d a p ro feseor s t Glssgow College, except fo r a p e r i o d shen, put out f o r r e l i g i o u s he terodoxy, he worked as a m in ing engineer. He pub l i shed

the s t o r y f i r s t i n 1672 ss an appendage to h i s h y d r o s t s t l c s , and

<m again i n h i s S a t a n ' s I n v i s i b l e World Revealed . To apprec ia t e the e s t t i n g we can u t i l i s e in fo rmat ion suppl ieo by

m Symeon, the M i n i s t e r o f K i r k e n n e r . The s t a p l e o f the P rov ince was wool ,

and Galloway hoseepuns had a good market . B u t the domestic weavers

l i k e Campbell cou ld be s s poor s s the poores t . For such as these lampr a vie/, even candles wsrs r a re l u x u r i e s , a b r l s f r u s h l i g h t be ing a l l tha t

cou ld be g e n e r a l l y a f fo rded , and w i n t e r evenings were spent t a l k i n g

A/ow YVJCVV gaMoHM as iU tk-ew* a§ 3)oK*}Z^f?''f .

8

o r p r a y i n g by f i r * l i g h t . Young Ton had 00x000* bean enabled t o go to

O l a age* C o l l e g e , b a t va t eoon r e c a l l e d to a s s i s t i n the fami ly economy.

A spate o f p o l t e r g e l e t pranke ensued. Stonee f l e e In a t the windows.

Ths wsb SB ths loom wse s l s s h s d . The younger c h i l d r e n were b u f f s t t e d ,

snd l i t t l e f i r e a i g n i t e d themselves. P r a y e r by the Revel. John Sco t ,

the P a r i a h M i n i s t e r , pro-ring u n a v a i l i n g , ths c h i l d r e n were lodged e l s e ­

where w i t h o e s s s t i o n o f h o s t i l i t i e s . Peace continued whsn the o t h e r things

e h l l d r e n re tu rned wi thout Tom. w i t h Tom's a r r i v a l / l i v e n e d up s g s l n .

The M i n i s t e r took Tom to h i s own house, bu t t h i s t i n s the f r o l i c s con­

t i n u e d I n the Csmpbell hams* Ton a f f i rmed that whsn he r i s i ted the

house, he heard a woloe f o r b i d d i n g him to en te r there or any o ther

p l a o e where the webs te r ' e e s l l l n g wss f o l l o w e d .

I t can be t r u l y s a i d , as doss Robbins i n h i s Bncyc lopsa l s of

W l t e h e r s f t , t h s t s l l ths d i s tu rbances were gesrsd to the I n t e l l e c t u a l

snd emot iona l l s r e l of s b r i g h t young sdo loscen t who wanted to go on

w i t h h i s s c h o o l i n g . Thus ths r o c a l " d e v i l " showed o f f h i s l e a r n i n g .

When SOBS g e n t l e f o l k r i s i t s d " ths d e v i l says *^uan l l t e r a r u m i s good

L o t I n ' , snd these are the f i r s t words o f the L a t i n rudiments which

s e h o l a r s are taught when they go to grammar school . 1 * At l eng th Tom

gained h i s d e s i r e snd got back to C o l l e g e . B u t , p l a u s i b l e as an exp lana ­

t i o n by Tom's t r i c k e r y i s , we cannot a s c r i b e f u l l c e r t a i n t y to i t . R e a l

p o l t e r g e l e t phenomena jyg happen, and tend to cen t re on b r i g h t a d o l e s ­

c e n t s . And perhaps they do o r i g i n a t e subconsc ious ly frcra r e a l needs

snd d e e i r e e . should note s l s o that there s r s » s n y good cases i n the

l i t e r a t u r e i n which gsnulne and spur ious phenomena ocour together .

J u v e n i l e s o f t en respond to ths s e t ! v i t i e s o f the bona f i d s p o l t e r g e i s t ,

when e n t e r i n g i n t o ths s p i r i t o f ths t h i n g and h e l p i n g mat ters s l o n g .

While there i s no complete ly s u i n d l y e s t a b l i s h e d case o f a t a l k i n g

«ri 9

p o l t e r g e i s t , the phenomenon l e not inco n c e i v a b l e . A few persuasive m

c s s s s are on record which though i n c o n c l u s i v e are very suggestive.

— Dr Podor describes a modem one i n The Story of the P o l t e r g e i s t . At a house In Sarragossa i n 1 9 3 4 , a deep voice sounded only i n the pre-

** eence o f Moris s k i t c h e n maid, aged 1 6 , but the mechanism was comple­t e l y obscure. The a u t h o r i t i e s exonerated the g i r l from fraud and,

mm

deeply puzzled, j.roduceo the formula of "unconscious vers t r i l o c u l a r e " J d e f i n i n g t h i s as s "psychic phenomenon produced only i n c e r t a i n circurn-

stancee. " A V v * ^ id&cdb*.^ ca^u *V*r o\a teeo^. d Perhaps the loquacious p o l t e r g e i s t o f Glenluce, r e a l or fraudulent

may have l e f t a t r a d i t i o n i n the Province. S i r Andres Agnes, w r i t i n g the h i s t o r y of h i s forebears as s h e r i f f s of Galloway, recounts s i m i l a r t e l e s a t t a c h i n g to Galdenoch C a s t l e s t L e e ^ a l t . The Agnewe here had been impoverished by f i n e s s t the R e s t o r a t i o n , and the regains of the

d b u i l d i n g , the tower, was i n use as a farmhouse. I t was haunted by the ghost of a R o y a l i s t shot i n e r r o r by an Agnes f l e e i n g a f t e r a Covenanter r i s i n g . The s l a i n Malignant was an incendiary and f l i n g e r of peat cloda . At f i r s t he made noises but then found speech and teased v i s i t i n g ministere. He was f i n a l l y " l a i d " only by being out-voiced by M a r s h a l l , the young M i n i s t e r of Kirkhelm, famous i n G a l l o v i d i a n l o r e f o r b i s s t e n t o r i a n preaching.

Going now i n search o f Catharine<$howe'e other G a l l o v i d i a n p o l t e r ­g e i s t we may f i n d ourselves, at length on the coast road, claimed by

ss s e o n i o a l l y the f i n e s t i n the world, which leads from Creetown

d

d

to Gstehouse-of-Pleet . These l i t t l e towns are the "P or tan f e r r y " and * of

"Kip ; l e t r i n g a n "/Guy Mannering. Bar holm i s a p o s s i b l e l o c a t i o n f o r d l l l a n g o w s n Old Place", and at i t s foot by fiavenshall Point i s " D i r k

10

Hei t t a r a c k ' s " cave, the dssperedo h i m s e l f be ing model led on the Dutch

Smuggler Y a v k l n e . C o l o n e l Mannar lng ' s houee "ft'ocdbourne" may be e l tec'

a t Caesencajry near Cree town. The o r i g i n a l or Meg M e r r i l e e s Fas was not

F l o r a M a r s h a l l the Galloway g i p s y but «'ean Gordon Fae o f K i r k Yethc l&

by J edbu r rh , but the r e s t o f S c o t ' s nove l l a t r u l y of Ga l loway . B e s i - e e

the f i n i n g s , l o o t i n g s by the "High land Hos t " , and the execut ions of the

" K i l l i n g Time", the P rov ince was kept nervous a t the end of the century by nomads and vagabonds, g e n e r a l l y t a m e d "gypsies". Galweglans, res­p e c t a b l e but poor, su f fe red from t h e i r t h i e v i n g , and " s o m i n r ' S I.e. hogging w i t h t h r ea t s .

Proceed ing pas t K i r k c u d b r i g h t we eota© dowr. at Abbey liead tc a

s i m i l a r but even w i l d e r shore , the scene o f the haun t ln r of Andre*

K a e k l s ' s house i n the p a r i a h of H e r r i c k , by Port Lory and Pondrennan Abbey where the ̂ ueen of Scots spent her l a s t night, i n ^ c o i l a n d .

The v l s l t s t i o n cams on the Macklee In 1695, now i n s i l l i e r : ; and i-.ary *s r s l g n * The nickname o f ths Gr.lloway r e b e l s had been bestowed on the E n g l i s h "country p a r t y " , and these new .-.'hig-fc bad put out Camee 11. The k i r k was no longe r molested, and was i t s e l f more moderate i n

p o l i t i c s . But the w i t c h - f e v e r was tc cont inue i n C c o f ^ n d f o r sane

decsdss , and the E e r r l c . haunt ing be aoe s f a v o u r i t e s t o r y i n popular r e c o l l e c t i o n . T e l f a i r , m i n i s t e r o f the Paroch, put out a n a r r a t i v e

pamphlet i n 1696 - a one th ing of a best s e l l e r , w i th two S c o t t i s h end ens E n g l i s h e d i t i o n * Harry P r i c e r ecen t ly gave ex t r ac t s i n h i s book P o l t e r g e i s t over England ' s i c ] .

The e a r l y phenomena were not to our mind e v i d e n t i a l o f p r e t e r ­n a t u r a l agency. C a t t l e were loosed, stones found, and the f ami ly

were roused a t n i g h t by the fumes o f burn ing peat brought i n t o *>v-"House. Bu t next-a succession of vr s r l r o r s - l a i r d s , gerifry and m i n i s -

11

m

d

t o r s - eubeeribed t h e i r names to T e l f a i r's account as witnesses of mhonmssna. Thoy cla imed to b* g r ipped by I n v i s i b l e bands, to be

bombarded w i t h c l o d s , c h a f f and s m a l l a tones, and to sse domestic a r t i c l e s h u r l e d about. AH t h i s i s the common s t u f f o f p o l t e r g e i s t

do lags i n w e l l « » a t t e e t e d cases, bu t of course T e l f a i r's account i s not o i r o o m s t a n t l a l and d e t a i l e d enough to be euro that the witnesses were n o t bamboozled. S c e p t i c i s m i s^he lgh tenod by the L a i r d of C o l l i n "with s e v e r a l neighbours" see ing "a b l a c k t h i n g ^ n tho corner o f the ba rn .

For a p p a r i t i o n s , though not *ttew&^>are^uncomffion i n p o l t e r g e i s t cases. A g a i n o r a t o r i c a l s p i r i t s a r s r a re i n the l i t e r a t u r e , but t h i s p o l t e r ­g e i s t was a l s o s t a l k i n g ghost th rea ten ing to take them to H e l l . o A ^ c A

It the haunt ing were a l l f raud we should have to ask " c u i bono", t j There i s a t a i n t o f m a l i c e about the ease, and i f i t were a l l the work

o f a c h i l d , i n c l u d i n g the f i r e e , i t would argue a p a t h o l o g i c a l condi-d t l o n o f mind. The v i l l a g e r s had t h e i r own theory - a somewhat i l l o ­

g i c a l one. Maekie we; a etone-worker, and they a l l e g e d that the d

d i a b o l i c a l v i s i t a t i o n r e s u l t e d from h ie hav ing "devote- h i s f i r s t

^ c h i l d t o the D e v i l , s t h i s t a k i n g of the Masor-Word". We might wonder i f the Mason—Word cou ld have concealed a wi tches cove r , according to

<m Dr Margaret M u r r a y ' s t h e o r i e s . But t h i s would be f a r - fe t ched because

the Mason—Word d i d e x i s t and was j u s t what Mr T e l f a i r s a i d I t t o be, m " a s ec re t reserved by some o f ths mason's t rade to themselves" as

bes towing p r i v i l e g e s i n t h s i r p r o f e s s i o n . In the eeventeenth century mi

masons proper , as opposed to u n s k i l l e d "cowans", wars o r g a n i z i n g i n t o

— l odges , as f r i e n d l y s o c i e t i e s and f o r r e g u l a t i n g t h e i r trade and c a s t a . .

There were important lodges a t K i l w i n n i n g , A y r , and Dumfries. Before * long there was one a t Gatehouse of F l e e t , f o r i t wee i n the Lodge of

K i p p l e t r i n g a n "thet Kllangowan was s o l d up, next to the Gordon Arms * TkU £cLy«*>u4 ^otUc U dill ^esJ^Ccl ^% ht^HV^eiJc^.-i MotA*i

12

new the If a r r ay A M I . Masonic o r g a n i s a t i o n was a delayed a f f a i r i n

Galloway basanas o f ths sbssnos o f " f r ec - s tone" and therefore o f

•free-oasema", 1. a . " t r a s s tone as sons We r s c s l l that Robert Pate re on,

t its o r i g i n a l o f O l d M or t o l l ty^ vse s q u a r r i a r by Loebstabsn and aads good bus iness by t ak ing gravestones i n t o Galloway.

Modsrn Freemasons, not thorn s e lves hararaer-ana-chisel man. t s l l us t h s t shs eeretnony o f ths Mason Word, was the admiss ion of s mason i n t o Ins Lodge. Oatechleed by ths members he f i n a l l y made an app ropr i a t e

s e c r e t s i g n which s i g n i f i e d an a c t u a l word - p robably the i n e f f a b l e

Bob rev items o f God - together w i t h s gesture equivalent to the modern e h i l d i e h oath "Cross my th roa t" . I n Scotland then, as i n ths French

sssroagnnonsges. o ther trade a s s o c i a t i o n s had t h e i r i n i t i a t i o n ceremo­n i e s and " t h r o a t - c u t t i n g " . Popu la r b e l i e f attached d i a b o l i c a l s l g n i -f l e s n c e to ths "horseman's word", or the " m i l l e r ' s word". Also some of ths e l d e r lodges sueh as K i l w i n n i n g had a t r a d i t i o n connecting the,-, w i t h the K n i g h t s Templar, who were sccused of w i t c h c r a f t and diabolism i n the fou r t een th century . I t i s s a i d that a few of the K n i g h t s escaped from France , d i s g u i s e d s s stone-masons, snd cane under the p r o t e c t i o n o f K i n g Rober t the Bruce who founded the two Royal Orders o f Boredom

and o f the Rosy Cros s . There i e l i t e r a r y evidence that the Mason Word was regarded as an odd i ty , and the Templar t r a d i t i o n , whether t rue or f s l s s , would tend to a s s o o l a t s Masonry with the b l a c k a r t s .

W* can hasard s s f o l l o w s s r econs t ruc t !on o f the i n n e r h i s t o r y of •wants I n R e r r l o k . O r g a n i s a t i o n of masons had not y s t a r r i v e d , but rumours o f i t penetrated from Ayr and Dumfries and i t was ill-reg-ardec-by the coun t s* fo lk . Then something unusual happened at the Mackles. Perhaps I t was s c h i l d i s h r e b e l l i o n * Perhapr i t wss the r>eli~e of secret enemies. Perhaps i t was genuine p o l t e r g e i s t e r y . This we s h a l l

never know. Seme neighbours unchar i tably a t t r i b u t e d i t a l l t o

Andrew'e supposed maaonic disboXlsm. Perhsps Andre* remained innocent

snd bewildered throughout, as Mr T e l f a i r thought him t o be . F o e e i b l y

II see sXX preternatural, but perhaps the c h i l d r e n e t l e s s t helped

sjsttsrs en. But ee ean sup, oss that Andrew was himself not averse

Is the pot being kept b o i l i n g for a while. Bad he been one o f the

gentry fee would have found the burden of h o s p i t a l i t y onerous, bu t i t

i s liksXy that i n h i s esse the v i s i t i n g la irds brought thsir welcome

with them i n the form of the occaa iona l coin. Furthermore, events and

neighbours having "put the f i n g e r " on M m , Andrew may have f e l t i t p r u ­

dential to ory up h i e s u f f e r i n g s , snd g i v e f u l l oppor tuni ty f o r the

•stent of his plsty to bs r e g i s t e r e d on the minds o f the v i s i t i n g

• l n l s t o r e , Ths v i l l s g e r s 1 theory seems t c us to be thoroughly i X X o -

goesl - en the proverbial ground o f the d e v i l l o o k i n g a f t e r h i s own.

However i l l o g l e of this k i n d seems an occas ion t o have p r e v a i l e d i n

SeotXsnd. At C u l l e n one woman and her son who were haunted p a i d the

additional penalty of being d e l a t e d , conv ic t ed o f w i t c h c r a f t snd execute

Andrew Msckls may therefore have p re fe r red to take no chances and have

been wi l l ing to "pile i t on" for s a fe ty ' e s ske . Bu t the p r e c i s e admix-

tare s f truth and falsehood i s something we s h a l l n s v s r determine, snd

one s f ths secrets we must lesve for ever i n the keeping of the w i l d

western Province.

14

References

1. AHQEW, 8iP A.

2. BAXJBR, 8*

3. BLAKS, B .

4* CHAMBSR6, R.

The Heredity Shorriff* of Galloway, Douglas, Bdlnburgh, 1093

The Certainty ef Worlds of Sp ir i t s , London

Tho Sol way F ir th , Bole, London, 1955

Domestic Annels of Scotland, Edinburgh, 1661

ft. CROCKBTT, W.8. Tho S ir f a l t e r Scott Originals, Grant and Murray, Edinburgh, 1932

6. CBOIE, C. Tho Bight Side of Bature, Routlodge, London, 1665

7 . HOB SB Asm, BUT. Primitive Rebels, Manchester, 1959

§ . KJ500P, D . , ond JOffKS, 0, P . The Soottieh Mason and the Mason word, Manchester, 1939

f . LAW, fU

10, LIE, F.O.

11. McPHXKSOB, J.M,

Momorlalls (od. Sharp*), Edinburgh, 1818

Glimpse* in the Twilight, Blackwood, Edinburgh, 1894

Primitive Bel iefs in the Horth-Bast of Scotland, Longmans Green, London, 1929

18. MACRITCHIE, D. Scottish Gypsies under the Stewarts, Douglas, Edinburgh, 1694

13. OWBN, A .R.G.

14. PEXCI, B.

15. ROBBItfS, E.fi .

16. SINCLAIR, 0.

17. 8IBCLAXR, 0.

16. 8TMS0R, A*

19. TKLFAIR, A.

20. WKBSTBR, K.H.

Tho Bauchle Poltergeist of 1960, Tomorrow, Vol.1 c, Bo.2, Spring, 1962

Poltorgolot over Sngland, Country L i fe , London 1945

Bn eye loped la of Witchcraft and Detnonology, B e v l l l , London, 1959

The Hydros to ticks, Edinburgh, 1672

Satan* s Invisible *Vorld Revealed, Stevenson, Bdlnburgh, 1671

A largo Description of Galloway, Talts , Bdlnburgh, 1623

A New Confutation of Sadduclom, Bdlnburgh and London, 1696

Bo ere t Societies and Subversive Movements,

21. WEDGEvVOOD, C.U. The King's War, C o l l i n s , London, 1 9 5 8

"PitUicaflour, fVev Y^lx>