A place for grief and belief: the Witness Cairn, Isle of Whithorn, Galloway, Scotland

Abstract

This paper draws on a case study of the Witness Cairn, at the Isle of Whithorn, Galloway, Scotland, to explore the relationship between bereavement practices and expressions of belief manifest in this particular place. The cairn is embedded in historic and contemporary Christian faith practices in the locality, and has combined with its form, naming and process of construction, to create a space of remembrance and, potentially, of transformation. Using the concept of liminality, it is argued that the individualised micro-memorials found at the Witness Cairn offer insight to a continuum of belief–unbelief and the blurring of the divide between practising faith-adherents and non-adherents in British society.

Cet article utilise une étude de cas du Witness Cairn, sur l'île de Whithorn à Galloway, pour explorer les rapports entre les pratiques de deuils et les expressions de croyance manifestes dans cet endroit particulier. Le cairn est implanté dans les pratiques de la foi chrétienne historique et contemporaine de l'endroit, et s'est allié avec sa forme, sa dénomination, et son processus de construction, pour créer un espace de souvenir et, potentiellement, de transformation. Grâce à l'utilisation du concept de liminalité, je soutiens que les micro-mémorials individualisés qu'on trouve au Witness Cairn donne des perspectives sur un continuum de croyance/non-croyance et le flou de la division entre adhérents de foi pratiquants et non-adhérents dans la société britannique.

Este papel se recurre a un estudio del Witness Cairn, en la isla de Whithorn, Galloway, para explorar la relación entre prácticas de llorar la muerte y las expresiones de creencia manifestadas en el lugar particular. El cairn está incrustado en las prácticas locales de la fe Cristiana de la época y históricamente, y ha combinado con su forma, nombramiento y proceso de construcción, para crear un espacio de recuerdo y, potencialmente, de transformación. Aplicando el concepto de liminalidad, está discutido que los micro-monumentos conmemorativos del Witness Cairn se ofrecen un entendimiento al continuo de creencia-no creencia y se difuminan la brecha entre los adherentes y no adherentes de la fe en la sociedad Inglesa.

Keywords:

• grief
• belief
• micro-memorial
• sacred, cairn
• positionality

Keywords:

• chagrin
• croyance
• micro-mémorial
• sacré cairn
• positionalité

Keywords:

• dolor
• creencia
• micro-monumentos conmemorativos
• sagrado cairn
• la posicionalidad

Acknowledgements

Research at the Isle of Whithorn was funded by a British Academy Small Grant (SG-45177). I would like to thank all those at the Isle of Whithorn who helped with my research, particularly Janet Butterworth, Rev. Alex Currie, Jean and Mike Marshall, John Scoular, and to Brother Stephen Smyth. My thanks also go to Veronica della Dora, Ethan Yorgason, Amanda Claremont and Bill Mander for helpful comments on earlier drafts of this paper, as well as to the anonymous referees for their constructive advice. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the American Association of Geographers annual conference in San Francisco in 2007 (attendance also funded by the British Academy).

Notes

1 Brother Stephen Smyth, The ‘Cairn Project Trail’, 15 October 1996, Glasgow Churches Together Archive.

2 In the late stages of editing this paper I received copies of the archived paperwork on the Witness Cairn from the Glasgow Churches Together Archive; this included some of Stephen Smyth's typed notes and progress reports and minutes of the group. They provided little new information but did much to confirm the details of events and in places served to reinforce my analysis of the cairn.

3 Glasgow Churches Together Minutes, 1996, Glasgow Churches Together Archive.