Margaret Wauchope and the Escape of Donald Cargill at South Queensferry
The Inn, aka. The Covenanters House, at South Queensferry
On 5-7 October, 1680, Lord Fountainhall notes the escape of a woman who helped Donald Cargill flee from near capture at South Queensferry, in Dalmeny parish, Linlithgowshire.
‘Mr. John Wause, keeper of the [Edinburgh] tolbuith, got a severe reprooff from Councell, for suffering one of the weeman to escape the prison, who had assisted Mr. Donald Cargil’s escape at the Queensferrie, in June last’. (Lauder, Historical Notices of Scottish Affairs, 1661-1683, 274.)
Wodrow notes that on 10 June, 1680, ‘one Margaret Wauchop is brought in prisoner from Queensferry, for being accessory to Mr Cargill’s escape.’ (Wodrow, History, III, 207.)
Donald Cargill was nearly captured in this, now vanished, inn, on 3 June.
Street of former location of Inn
Patrick Walker gives an account of Cargill’s escape from it, which probably refers to Margaret Wauchope:
‘Mr. Cargill in that Confusion escaped sorely wounded, and crept into some secret Place in the South-side of the Town. A very ordinary Woman found him lying bleeding, took her Head-clothes and tied up the Wounds in his Head, and conducted him to James Punton’s in Carlowrie; he being a Stranger, and knew not who was Friends or Foes; for which he said he was many Times obliged to pray for that Woman.’
Carlowrie also lies in Dalmeny parish. Since Cargill was kept in a barn, it was probably at Easter or Wester Carlowrie, rather than nearby Carlowie House or the later Carlowrie farm a short way down the road.
Map of Carlowrie Street View of ‘Easter’ Carlowrie
‘Some say, After that there was a Change upon her to the better. He lay in that Barn till Night, and then was conducted to some Friend’s House. Mrs. Punton gave him some warm Milk; and a Chirurgeon came providentially to the House, who drest his Wounds.’ (Walker, BP, II, 12.)
A few days later Cargill preached at Cairnhill in the Pentland Hills
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