The Cambusnethan Bog Body

A mans body was found in 1932 by Gerard Rolink, a peat digger, in the moss between Waterloo and Cambusnethan. The mans identity has remained a mystery. I am currently in the process of researching this unique aspect of Wishaw's history.

17th Century body in Greenhead Moss

 

In 1932, whilst digging peat on Greenhead Moss, Mr. Gerard Rolink of the Benhar Moss Litter Company came across a body a few feet under the surface of the peat bog. He had unearthed the fully clothed body of a man was under several pieces of wood in a makeshift shallow grave.

After preliminary Police and archaeological investigations, the body was determined to be of a 50 year old male around 5 foot '8inches / 1.7m tall wearing a blue green woollen jacket with brass buttons, leather breeches, green-grey woollen stockings, leather shoes and a woollen cap. Part of the weave in his jacket is unusual for the time and is an early example of what is now known as a '2x2 crepe weave'.

It was a burial without any ceremony in an isolated place. He had nothing in his pockets apart from 2 buttons - his murderers may have taken his belongings. The 'show buckles' from the shoes were also missing. The appearance of the man in these clothes suggests a date of 1680 - 1690AD, a time of turbulence in central Scotland. Forensic examination revealed a severe gash in his shoe, a broken femur (upper leg) and a sword cut on his cap that most surely would have penetrated his neck.

The nature of his burial does not shed any light on his identity for he may have been a foot soldier, Covenanter or merely an unfortunate victim of murder who's body was hurriedly disposed of. The timbers found with the body may have been used to carry the body to his last resting-place. He may have been buried by his murderers or by rescuers who were evacuating him from some skirmish. If this was so, why didn't they take him to the nearby Cambusnethan Cemetery? If he were a Covenanter, this would be a rightful place for him alongside other such graves in the cemetery. Perhaps he was a foot soldier searching for Covenanters and consequently murdered and buried to avoid detection.

During the 17th Century, Covenants were signed by people wishing to maintain the Scottish Presbyterian religion as opposed to the Crown's desire to have one religion for the whole of Britain. In 1678 local troops were added to the army for the purpose of hunting down Presbyterians who were upholding the Covenant. In 1679, the Battle of Bothwell Bridge led to the deaths of many hundreds of Covenanters who faced the better-trained and armed Royal forces.

The body is now in the Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow where he can studied and contribute to the combined research on the era. His clothing is sometimes on display within the museum.

It is intended that Greenhead Moss Community Trust, who now manage the site, will endeavour to get a reconstruction made of the man's face to add to a display about the discovery in their new visitor centre within the Park.

Full Report