Ludovic McLellan Mann and the Cambusnethan bog body

Abstract

This article considers the circumstances, aftermath and legacy of the discovery of a bog body near Cambusnethan in North Lanarkshire in 1932. The body of a man and a unique jacket were assessed by Ludovic McLellan Mann soon thereafter and removed to Glasgow Museums where they remain today. The body was popularly perceived to be a Scottish Covenanter although there is no scientific or historical evidence of this, and Mann himself was vague. In an attempt to provide some clarity, this article traces the interplay between archaeological and historical evidence, as well as contemporary popular memory around the find. There is an enduring belief the body was a Covenanter, exemplified by a cairn in Greenhead Moss Community Nature Park in Lanarkshire which has displayed the story since 1997. In the last 25 years, there have been repatriation claims for the remains and the story was raised in the Scottish Parliament. Thus, Mann's archaeological practice continues to shape opinion today although in this case his work was exemplary. Whilst the ‘Covenanter in the bog’ was not Mann's myth, this article reveals how the story evolved and why it remains in the popular consciousness across Scotland.