Dalgarnock Kirkyard near Thornhill

Dalgarnock Kirkyard is the resting place of the two earliest Milligan gravestones in Scotland and the Covenanter's Memorial


~ The Nithsdale Martyrs ~

Memorial preserves the names of Robert and Thomas Milligan, two Covenanters drowned of the coast of the Mull Head of Deerness, Orkney, on 10 December, 1679.
They were buried in the Covenanter's graves at Scrava Taing, Orkney.
The memorial was erected and unveiled in 1925.




"Here lyeth John Muliken in Dalgarnok geat who died 1694 aged 51".
At the bottom of the shaft, "John Eshbie" (no date) and then "Ionet Weir 16(88)".

In his book Dalgarnoc: Its Saints and Heroes (Dumfries, 1935), the Rev. James Hewison notes that this large slab, is very like the shaft of the Great Cross and its inscription in cursive letters is similar to those by "Old Mortality".




"John Mvligan, 1640".

Hewison notes a second similar slab, now lost beneath the moss in the burial ground, the resting place of "Iames Mvligan, 1650".
This grave slab was still there in 1935, when the Rev. Hewison's book on 'Dalgarnoc' was published, but had disappeard by the time my good friend Don Milligan and I visited Dalgarnock in the late 1990s.

The gravestone of 'John Muligan' is the earliest extant Milligan gravestone in Scotland and its preservation is vital for further generations of Milligans and Millikens.




In Memory of
James Milligan, Mason
Thornhill, who died 13th Janry
1832 Aged 60 years.
And of Margaret Hutchison
His Spouse who died 19th Novr
1839 Aged 65 years.
Also 5 of their children, 3
Sons and 2 daughters, who
Died in infancy
Also the REV ARCHIBALD MILLIGAN,
Minister of Russittown Flats, North
America, died at Mountreal 7th
Febry 1855 Aged 42 years.
Much regretted by his Flock.
For God is our defence
And he to us doth safely bring
The Holy One of Israel
Is our almighty King
Psalm LXXXIX 18th
A.D. 1843

Erected by James and Archibald
MILLIGAN their sons.



Return to Table of Contents