A tall granite obelisk erected by public subscription in 1903 commemorates Covenanters who fought and died at Bothwell Bridge in 1679.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1903
- Architect / designer
- Designer not securely identified; erected by public subscription
- Type
- Granite battlefield memorial
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB5139)
- OS grid reference
- NS 71055 57836
Architecture and continuing use
The tapered obelisk rises from a substantial square base within low walls and railings. Inscribed panels and biblical texts turn a conventional monument form into a specifically religious and historical statement.
Its story
The 1679 battle followed years of conflict over royal control of the Scottish church. Government forces broke the Covenanter position at the bridge and pursued the defeated army. More than two centuries later, public subscription funded this memorial on ground closely associated with the fighting.
Why it is included
Category B listing recognises a prominent, carefully enclosed memorial whose design, inscriptions and location express the long public memory of a nationally significant conflict.
What to notice
- The obelisk’s strong vertical silhouette beside the road.
- Inscribed panels connecting battle and religious witness.
- Walls and railings that define a small commemorative precinct.
Reading the surroundings
Approach only by safe public routes and take care beside traffic. Do not climb the enclosure, leave objects against the stone or treat the memorial grounds as informal parking.
Timeline
- 1679 Covenanter and government armies fought around Bothwell Bridge.
- 1903 Public subscription funded and erected the granite memorial.
- 2009 The battlefield entered Scotland’s national inventory of historic battlefields.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
Historic accounts vary in casualty and prisoner totals. The monument commemorates the Covenanter cause but is not itself a grave marker for every person named or remembered.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Covenanters Memorial, LB5139 — Current designation status, official mapped location, date, fabric and significance.
- Trove designation: LB5139 — Parallel national designation identity and archival context.
- Imperial War Museums: Bothwell Bridge Covenanters — Independent memorial identity, inscription and commemorative context.
- Historic Environment Scotland: Battle of Bothwell Bridge — Official battlefield significance and mapped context.
Location
OS grid reference NS 71055 57836 · Location confidence: High: the current national designation supplies an exact mapped National Grid Reference; public text separately states access and current-use uncertainty. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
Suggest a marker correction
Suggest a more accurate position
The teal marker is the current published position. The orange marker starts slightly to its right so both remain visible; this is only a visual starting position. Tap the correct place on the map or drag the orange marker. Sending this form creates a private review entry only; it does not move the published marker.
Check this area in Google Maps Choose the Satellite layer there if useful.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors. You can also enter checked coordinates below.