The Trumpeter's Well at

Caldermill Caldermill is a small settlement in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. Caldermill is south-west of Strathaven, and is the next settlement a driver will come across after leaving Strathaven on the A71 westbound towards Kilmarnock. Caldermill is a ham ...

South Lanarkshire gd, Siorrachd Lannraig a Deas , image_skyline = , image_flag = , image_shield = Arms_slanarkshire.jpg , image_blank_emblem = Slanarks.jpg , blank_emblem_type = Council logo , image_map ...

is recorded as the site of the death of a government trumpeter or

cornet The cornet (, ) is a brass instrument similar to the trumpet but distinguished from it by its conical bore, more compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B, though there is also a so ...

who was killed in the aftermath of the 1679

Battle of Drumclog The Battle of Drumclog was fought on 1 June 1679, between a group of Covenanters and the forces of John Graham of Claverhouse, at Drumclog, in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. The battle Following the assassination of Archbishop James Sharp on ...

at which the

Covenanter Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from '' Covena ...

s were victorious.

Introduction

The Category C Listed Trumpeter's Well is located in the hamlet of

(NS 66013 41683) in a field beside the entrance drive to Hillhead Farm, on the A71 route to

Strathaven Strathaven (; from gd, Strath Aibhne ) is a historic market town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland and is the largest settlement in Avondale. It is south of Hamilton. The Powmillon Burn runs through the town centre, and joins the Avon Water to th ...

from

Darvel Darvel ( sco, Dairvel, gd, Darbhail) is a small town in East Ayrshire, Scotland. It is at the eastern end of the Irvine Valley and is sometimes referred to as "The Lang Toon" ( en, the Long Town). The town's Latin motto, , means "Not for o ...

, Parish of Avondale,

. The site lies about 3 miles away from the site of the

Description

In 1858 the Trumpeter's Well had been infilled, but was traditionally associated with the death of a trumpeter whose burial site was still pointed out. The well head is stone lined and protected by a professionally built 9' high circular stone rubble building with a concical slated roof and a wooden door with an ashlar surround, once again in use in 1966, the water from it supplying nearby Hillhead Farm.Caldermill, Hillhead Farm, Trumpeter's Well
/ref> The building probably dates from the early 19th century.British Listed Buildings - Trumpeter's Well
/ref> In 1851 - 1861 the spot where he was buried was still known locally, but there was no appearance of a grave. Lidar images do however show depressions in the field lying close to the well house.

History

Memorial to the Battle of Drumclog (geograph 3393611)

During the covenanting period there was a battle in 1679 near the village of

Drumclog Drumclog is a small village in South Lanarkshire, Parish of Avendale and Drumclog, Scotland. The habitation is situated on the A71, between Caldermill and Priestland in East Ayrshire at a height of 196.7m and about 5 miles west of Strathaven. ...

following an illegal religious meeting known as a

Conventicle A conventicle originally signified no more than an assembly, and was frequently used by ancient writers for a church. At a semantic level ''conventicle'' is only a good Latinized synonym of the Greek word church, and points to Jesus' promise in M ...

that was held in this isolated moorland site. Graham of Claverhouse, later Viscount Dundee, was the leader of the government troops and during the this

, Thomas Finlay, a farmer who had attended the meeting, stabbed Claverhouse's horse with his pike, severely injuring it.Historic Environment Scotland - Battle of Drumclog
/ref> 'Bloody Clavers' as the

's called him, was able to force his mount on until he encountered his trumpeter and took this boy's horse from him to secure his own escape. The Trumpeter's Well, Geograph UK
/ref> This trumpeter is said to have been a boy of around 14 years of age who was subsequently caught at Caldermill, killed by the covenanters and his body was thrown into the well that lay close to the road. Subsequently it seems to have been removed and buried nearby. Some reports indicate that other government dragoons attempting to escape the battle ground, were also killed nearby and buried here, possibly in a mass grave.The Northern Antiquarian
/ref> The OS Name Book gives a twist on the story stating that in 1851 - 1861 tradition stated that the Trumpeter was killed here while his horse was drinking at the well.OS Name Book - Trumpeter's Well
/ref> At the time of the OS visit Hillhead Farm was owned and occupied by Joseph Allison. A further element of confusion is that the

to Claverhouse was in common parlance a 'trumpeter' and is said to have been killed in the battle: "''The Rebels upon Captain Graham's Approach, sent out Two Parties to skirmish with him, which he beat into their main Body. Then they advanced with their whole Force upon him, who after a considerable Slaughter of the Rebels, and the Loss of his Cornet, Two Brigadiers, about Eight Horse, and Twenty Dragoons, (his own Horse being killed under him, and mounting another)....''" Scotlands Places records details given by Sheriff Aiton of a skirmish at a dwelling, now demolished, known as Capernaum near Drumclog Bridge: "''The Covenanters pursued the Troops to Calder Water about 3 miles from the field of Action. A person of the name Findlay from Lesmahagow armed with a pitchfork came up with Captain Graham at a place called "Capernaum" near Coldwakening and would probably have killed that officer had not another of the Covenanters called to Findlay to strike at the Horse and thereby secure both it and the rider. The blow intended for the Captain was spent upon his mare and the Captain escaped by mounting with great agility the horse of his trumpeter who was killed by the Whigs''"Scotlands Place - Capernaum
/ref>

References

Notes

Sources and further reading

* Aiton, W. (1821). A history of the rencounter at Drumclog, and battle at Bothwell Bridge. * Black, C.S. (1936). "Scottish battles". Glasgow: Brown Son & Ferguson. * Brander, M. (1993). "Scottish and Border Battles and Ballads". New York: Barnes & Noble Books. * Brotchie, T. C. F. (1913) "The battlefields of Scotland : their legend and story". New York: Dodge Publishing. * Campbell, J. Ramsey (1943), "My Ain, My Native Tour – Stra’ven", Strathaven: J.M.Bryson. * Campbell, T. (1996). "Standing witnesses : a guide to the Scottish Covenanters and their memorials, with a historical introduction. Edinburgh: Saltire Society". * Clark, D. (1996). "Battlefield walks : Scotland. Stroud: Sutton Publishing". * Hamilton, J. (2004). "Scottish Battles". New Lanark: Geddes & Grosset. * Hearne, R. (1681). "Loyalties severe summons to the bar of conscience, or, A seasonable and timely call to the people of England, upon the present juncture of affairs being an epitome of the several praeliminaries or gradual steps the late times took to their ... ruine, by their civil dissentions, through a needless fear of the subverting, losing, and destroying of religion, liberty of the subject, and priviledges of Parliament". London: Printed by Thomas Milbourn and sold by Randal Taylor. * MacMeeken, J. W. and Church Reformed Presbyterian. (1849). "A tribute to the memory of our Scottish martyrs : their privileges, their sufferings and faithfulness and our duty in reference to their example ; a sermon preached on the battle-field of Drumclog, on Sabbath, 24th June, 1849". Glasgow: John Keith & Son. * Scott, W. (1871). "Old mortality, Waverley novels; Vol. 5". Edinburgh: Adam & Charles Black. * Whyte, I. and K. Whyte. (1990). "On the Trail of the Jacobites". London: Routledge. * Wilson, W. (1751). "The true and impartial relation of the persecuted Presbyterians in Scotland; their rising in arms, and defeat at Bothwell-Bridge, in the year 1679". Glasgow.

External links

YouTube video history of the Trumpeter's Well A Researcher's Guide to Local History terminology
{{commons category, Trumpeter's Well Religion in Scotland Springs of Scotland Landforms of South Lanarkshire Villages in South Lanarkshire Buildings and structures in South Lanarkshire