Myths & Legends

The Lucky Stones

'The Lucky Stones' are two large white stones made from Calcite and it is said if you have a problem or are worried about something, place money (copper) under one of the stones, sit on the stone and think the problem through, a solution will come to you. If the problem is more serious, then you need to put silver under the stone and again sit on it and think it through. It was said to be very unlucky to remove any of the money from under the stones!

Two hundred and fifty years ago there were two old ladies in the village, who practiced herbal medicine and they were condemned as witches and burned at the stake on Stake Moss Hill. On the day of execution they told the villagers, who were against the sentence of death, not to worry as they would return.

The two white stones are thought to be the Two Old Ladies returned to help the sick and troubled.

Weasel Funerals

In the Mennock Pass recently, a driver observed a dead Weasel, killed by a passing car, being lifted and carried off the road by a number of other Weasels. This story was confirmed by a villager who had heard of a similar tale in the 1930's where the night watchman at the Wanlockhead Smelt Mills had watched several Weasels remove a dead female and bury her in a 'Weasel Grave' nearby. On investigation, the watchman and the local gamekeeper, found the body of the Weasel buried alongside a number of other Weasel skeletons.

Waterspout

In the summer of 1872, a very unusual waterspout was seen in Wanlockhead. Its shape resembled a long serpent, winding and twisting, dropping to touch the mountain tops then spiralling upwards again into the black clouds above.

It had been very hot in the days leading up to this event and then a thick black cloud appeared directly over the Stake Moss Hill, which is where witches were once burned at the stake. There was a terrific blast, like thunder and a strong gust of wind then the serpent-like cloud dropped and seemed to touch the earth before gradually merging into the cloud above.

It was later discovered that the waterspout had 'burst' on the Lowther Mountains and the Mennock stream was swollen with the sudden deluge of water and the road leading to Sanquar was awash.

Peden's Mist

One fine summers evening with a clear blue sky, a Presbyterian Minister - The Reverend Peden, held a sermon at the foot of the Glendyne . He was greeted by a large number of people who had gathered to hear him speak and they arranged themselves around him having first posted a man on the hillside to warn of approaching danger. Half way through his sermon, a shout came from the lookout that a Troop of Dragoons was approaching up the Glen at speed.

Peden ordered his followers to disperse quickly, leaving him to face the Dragoons as he was frail and weak and unable to run. He threw himself in the heather and prayed for protection. Tradition has it that a finger of mist appeared above him and enveloped him in its cool grey fingers, effectively hiding him from his enemies. The Dragoons, facing the sudden appearance of a mist and an ominous silence, lost their nerve and retreated leaving Peden undiscovered. The mist, to this day still appears in the Lowther Hills and is called Peden's Mist.

Jenny Miller 1877

Lloyd Richards who was visiting relatives at Leadhills on holiday, was walking alone in the Lowther Hills above Wanlockhead in August 1977, when a cold grey mist came down suddenly. Out of the mist came a young woman dressed in strange clothes, carrying a wicker basket. She seemed distressed.

She was saying "Look in the stones!" but before he could reach her she had disappeared into the mist. Lloyd told his family about his strange encounter. They told him the story of Jenny Miller who 100 years before had set out to walk over the hills to her sister's wedding at Wanlockhead. She carried a wicker basket which had a teapot in it, a gift for her sister.

As she crossed the hills she was caught in a blizzard and stumbled into the workings of an old lead mine. Her body was found there a few days later.

The locals built a cairn at the spot and on a piece of stone carved the words, "In memoriam, Jenny Miller, January 1877." the cairn still stood but the inscription had disappeared. Intrigued, Lloyd and his relatives set out to find the cairn and sure enough there it was beside the old lead mine. Remembering what the girl had said to him "Look in the stones." one by one they searched through the rocks and found buried there the stone bearing Jenny's name!

The stone is now in the Museum of Lead Mining. From time to time walkers in the hills have reported seeing the figure of a girl in the mist.