The Grey Mare’s Tail Covenanters
The Grey Mare’s Tail Covenanters
Words by Graeme Johncock, photographs by Simon Hird
The Grey Mare’s Tail is an elegant, tumbling waterfall on the edge of Dumfries and Galloway. Cascading down 60 metres of rockface from Loch Skeen above, the water splits the landscape in two. This breathtaking area of Southern Scotland proves that there’s no need to head north to experience Scotland’s wilderness.
During the 17th century, this wilderness was put to good use. The isolation of the Grey Mare’s Tail made it the perfect hiding place for Covenanters.
These people had rebelled against attempts by the King to dictate affairs within the Scottish church. Ministers carried on preaching against the orders of the crown while events escalated around them. Eventually, all unauthorised church services were considered treason and to be shut down violently. Rather than discourage the Covenanters, they just headed out into the wild to worship there instead.
James Graham of Claverhouse was tasked with hunting down the Covenanters in Southern Scotland. Mounted soldiers combed the landscape looking to surprise the rebels. No trial was needed, the worshippers were to be executed on the spot and the countryside is peppered with remote graves of those victims. The Killing Time had begun, and James Graham became known as Bluidy Clavers.
The Grey Mare’s Tail was perfect for the Covenanters. Boggy ground around Loch Skeen was difficult for mounted soldiers and the steep ravine below, full of hidden crevices was dangerous to those who didn’t know the path. Lookouts were posted high up on Watch Knowe to give their companions plenty of warning if government troops were approaching.
Alongside this very real connection between the Grey Mare’s Tail and the Covenanters, the waterfall picked up a devilishly strange legend. This area is famous for its wild goats and one day two men hiding out in the ravine heard the faint sound of hooves over the noise of the waterfall. Keen to secure some supper, they quietly followed the sound, creeping closer and closer until they could peek over a ledge.
It wasn’t a goat they had found. It was the terrifying figure of the devil and the noise of his cloven feet. Their worst nightmare was busy roasting human flesh on a spit and both the sight and smell disgusted the pair. It’s no easy feat to sneak up on the devil and they watched in horror as he spun around and stared deep into their souls.
The Covenanters’ only hope was to rely on their strength of faith. Instead of cowering in fear, they recited bible passages at the monstrous figure. It was all too much for the devil to take but he had one last trick up his sleeve.
He dived into the water, transforming himself into bundles of expensive, leather hides. Lesser men would have been tempted by the sight of all that wealth tumbling down the Grey Mare’s Tail and followed it to their doom. Fortunately, these Covenanters weren’t motivated by greed and lived to tell the tale.
Written by Graeme Johncock
Graeme is the writer and storyteller behind Scotland’s Stories, sharing the traditional folklore and legends that make Scotland truly incredible.
