The Mummies of Kilsyth
and the story of Kilsyth Mausoleum
An extract from: THE
LIFE AND TIMES OF PASTOR JOHN LIVINGSTON 1603 -1672
(An abridged version of the book by John P Stewart, reproduced by
permission of the author)
The Livingston family connection with
Monyabroch was not entirely severed with William's deposement (recorded further
on) and subsequent transfer to Lanark in 1613. The Livingstones ( the `e`
was used at this time by this branch) of Kilsyth, that had a common ancestor in
Sir William Livingston, Lord of Callendar who was slain at the Battle of
Homildon Hill in 1402, were granted the Viscountship of Kilsyth in 1661.
Tragically, the title was only held by three persons before it became extinct.
The mausoleum
that now occupies the spot on which the sixteenth century Monyabroch Kirk once stood.
Erected in the the 19th century, the large tomb was built around an old vault
that had once been part of the old church. This is the only material
remains of the building that included among its ministers, Alexander Livingston
and his son, William.
The vault contains the
earthly remains of one, Jean Cochrane and her son who died tragically in 1695.
The story of their demise is carved into the stone on one face of the edifice in
the following inscription.
`Jean Cochrane, wife, and son of
William Livingstone of Kilsyth. Deaths caused by falling in of roof,
composed turf of a house in Holland. Mr Livingstone was with difficulty
extracted. Lady, child, and nurse were killed , October 1695.
`In 1795, vault over which the church at that time stood, having been accidentally
opened bodies of Lady Dundee and her son which had been embalmed and sent
from Holland were found in a remarkable state of preservation and after being
for sometime exposed to view, the vault was closed.
`This lady was the daughter of William, Lord Cochrane who predeceased his
father, William, 1st Earl of Dundonald. She married firstly John Graham of
Claverhouse, Viscount of Dundee killed at the Battle of Killiecrankie, 1689 and
secondly the Honorable William Livingstone who succeeded his father, James as
the third Viscount of Kilsyth 1706. Lord Kilsyth married secondly Barbara,
daughter of MacDougall of Makerstoun but dying under attainder at Rome, 1733.
Without surviving issue, this noble family became extinct.`
The Viscountship had originally
been bestowed on James Livingstone on 17th August, 1661 by Charles ll for his `services
to the Crown and sufferings for the Royalist cause.` Ironically,
this coincided with the period that John Livingston was enduring the harassment
for his non-comformity and his subsequent trial and banishment.
Sir James did not live long enough to reap the benefits his peerage would bring
him for, within a few weeks, he died on the 7th September the same year.
The title passed to his elder son, James, but he died without being married.
William succeeded him in 1706. This family was descended from the same
line as John Livingston.
However, the legend fails to relate
the complete story behind the unfortunate occurrence, a hint of intrigue being
suggested, if a local belief at the time is to be true.
Born on 4th March, 1650, William chose a military career after leaving Glasgow
University and obtained a commission in the Royal Scots Dragoons (Grey
Dragoons), later to be retitled the Royal Scots Greys. He became
Lieutenant-Colonel of the regiment and rode with it into England in 1688 as part
of the Scottish Army.
He succeeded the Earl of Dunsmore as Chief-in-Command of the Dragoons before he
himself was replaced by his own relative, Sir Thomas Livingstone, an appointment
directly commanded by King William.
On his return to Scotland with the Regiment, Livingstone was arrested on the
orders of General McKay, suspected of sympathising with King James, and
being in correspondence with Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee. Along with
several other officers similarly suspected, he was sent south from Aberdeenshire
and incarcerated in the Tolbooth, Edinburgh.
Viscount Dundee was slain at the Battle of Killiecrankie in the hour of his
victory. It was claimed, by local tradition, that William Livingstone had
been present at the fray. Not only that, he was said to have been
responsible for inflicting the wound on Dundee that led to his death.
This was alleged to have been his intent to enable him to marry Jean Cochrane,
Claverhouse`s widow. He did in fact marry the lady, but his imprisonment
coinciding with the battle was indisputable evidence of his absence from the
field, let alone his seeming involvement with Dundee's death. Further, he sympathized
with Claverhouse`s cause and was in dread of losing his own head as a result.
He was released from the Tolbooth in 1690 at the behest of the Lord Advocate,
Sir John Dalrymple but with his rents being sequestrated. He remained,
however, under military supervision until he was arrested in 1692. He was
detained in Edinburgh Castle for two years before being given his freedom once
more on the condition he left `the
three kingdoms.`
The penalty for returning without
the King's permission would be £1,000 sterling (£12,000 Scots).
His liberation took place on 10th
May, 1694 after which he left for Holland. It was on the 15th October,
1695 that he suffered the loss of his family. While sitting at home in
their house in Utrecht, the roof of the building collapsed about them. He
alone was pulled alive from the wreckage.
The bodies were recovered, and after embalming, were brought back to Scotland.
In 1685 he had represented Stirlingshire in Parliament for one year. He
resumed his political career in 1702 before he was elevated to the peerage after
the death of his brother in 1706.
In 1715, the year of the first Jacobite Rising, he aligned himself with the Earl
of Mar and was present at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. As a result he fled the
country and took up residence in Rome in April, 1716. See
this letter from Lord Kilsyth to Sir Edmonstone at Kilsyth
His estates were forfeited. Livingston, the third Viscount Kilsyth, died
in his adopted city on 12th January, 1733 and with him the title.