May 11 in Scottish History

Today in 1941 Rudolf Hess crash-landed in Scotland after his bizarre solo flight from Nazi Germany. Hitler's most trusted official and friend, he crash-landed a stolen plane at Eaglesham in an inexplicable effort to negotiate an end to the war. Hitler labelled him insane, and many agreed, but this did not keep him from judgment at Nuremberg for war crimes. He was sentenced to life, eventually becoming the sole prisoner at Spandau.

On this day in 1685 Covenanter martyrs, Margaret Lachlane, or McLachlan, and Margaret Wilson, refused to take an oath of loyalty to Charles II that acknowledged his authority on everything, including religious matters. They were tied to stakes in the Solway near Wigtown where they drowned as the tide rose. A reprieve had been sent from Edinburgh but never reached Wigtown. Martyrs' Monument The replica stake sits on machair about 100 yards from the parish church, where the women’s graves are clearly marked. The water’s edge is now a fair distance away from the site of the drownings, as gradual silting of the river has caused the water level to drop.

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