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Peden's Pulpit, Gameshope, Tweedsmuir. |
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Description
Somewhere along the course of the Gameshope Burn
near Talla Reservoir, in the Tweedsmuir hills, there stands a
massive boulder named Peden's Pulpit, which recalls the name of
Alexander Peden, the Prophet, one of the greater figures in
covenanting history. No
details were available to the exact location of this site, nor
if it actually exists at all and the stone featured here may not
correct.
A History of Peeblesshire by J. W. Buchan and Rev. H. Paton,
Published 1925-7, records, "Peden, 'the Prophet,' still has
a memorial in 'Peden's Pulpit,' a boulder up Gameshope
Glen."
Directions
From the A701 Penicuik to Moffat road, turn onto a minor road at
Tweedsmuir village. Continue along this road, pass Talla Reservoir
to the farm at Talla Linnfoots. Then, on foot, or if very fit, by
mountain bike, follow the trail south up the valley of the
Gameshope Burn. Note, the going is very rough. The boulder shown
is on the left as you walk up the valley. A large modern pile of
boulders lies nearby, marked with a small tree.
Parking
By verge at head of Talla Reservoir.
Fieldnotes
The problem with this location is the lack of
accurate details. G. Rae's 1948 book, Historic Haunts of
Peeblesshire, refers only to "Games Hope" and the
valley is littered with hundreds of large rocks and glacial
boulders. Finding a likely stone is difficult, if not impossible
and unless some local knowledge or other information some to
light, the exact location of this stone will probably remain a
mystery. There is also the possibility that a specific stone
does not exist and that the reference actually refers to an
area of ground where Peden preached to his followers. It might
be more a case of looking for a likely location rather than a
single boulder. The location shown here is my best guess at such
a place.
An early morning return visit to Gameshope
valley, this time on a bright but frosty October morning, gave
me the opportunity to thoroughly explore the valley. There are
many large boulders in the area but none seem to fit the bill as
well as my original selection. The area immediately around the
stone is well suited for preaching to a crowd of people with the
ground being reasonably well drained and flat. It was also
interesting to note that a few small quartz pebbles have been
placed on the stone, perhaps giving some credence that the stone
may actually be Peden's Pulpit, as referred to by G. Rae. Of
course, it might also mean the boulder has some other ritual
significance? A large crack in the stone holds a large bone,
possibly that of a sheep, or perhaps something more sinister?
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