A few miles from Kilmarnock, near the village of Darvel, stands
Loudoun Hill. This imposing volcanic plug offers the best
vantage point across the Irvine Valley and as such has always
provided a strong strategic advantage. Near the bottom of the
south-east slope is the remains of an Iron Age fort and nearby
evidence of another fort built by the Romans during the Flavian
period.
 |
| The 19th century painting 'Battle of Drumclog' by
George Harvey gives a false impression of the
incident. Given the numbers involved, particularly on
the government side, this can be considered little
more than a skirmish, despite the significance of its
repercussions. According to Smurthwaite the rebels
deployed behind a marsh. According to Black, and
supported by the limited terrain evidence collected
for this report, they were behind a ditch and with
marshes all around. This effective selection of
terrain by the rebels precluded a cavalry attack and
so Claverhouse’s dragoons dismounted and advanced on
foot to within pistol shot. In response the rebels
charged against the centre and left flank of the
government deployment. Heavily outnumbered, the
government forces broke and fled. |
A skirmish between Government troops and
Covenanter forces
also took place there in 1679.
Covenanters had gathered for an
outlawed religious service or 'conventicle'. However, news of
this meeting had reached the ears of Sir John Graham of
Claverhouse who had been recently commanded by the king to
suppress such events.
Claverhouse mustered his dragoons and
clashed with the Covenanters. This was to become known as the
Battle of Drumclog and ended with Claverhouse's dragoons being
soundly defeated.
The victory spurred the Covenanters on to greater
things. Several thousand stormed Glasgow, drove out the
occupying garrison and by 6 June had taken command of the
city. Their success was to be short-lived. Within two weeks
the tide would turn against them.
See also:
•
Battle
of Loudon Hill, 1296
