The Highland Host
By the late 1670’s King Charles II and his advisors began to lose patience with the non-conformity of the people of the south-west and, in an attempt to crush the Covenanters, a Highland Host of 10,000 men plus an array of stragglers, was quartered on the people. These men were charged with bringing dissenters to trial and subjecting them to torture if necessary, using iron shackles, thumbscrew and the infamous Boot. As Ayrshire was seen as the most rebellious the Host were entitled to go to greater lengths here than elsewhere.
This Highland Host took free quarters in the towns and villages, they robbed and pillaged throughout the countryside, they were carefree in their acts of wounding and torture. They cared little about the religious practices they were charged with stamping out, but behaved in a manner driven by devilment and self-seeking.
Dundonald did not escape its share of this terrifying episode. In a statement drawn up after the event by some of the gentlemen of the county an estimate of the cost of the Highland Host was made. It gives some idea of the depredations to which the inhabitants were subjected by that barbarous host. Dundonald’s share in that estimate is given as £3373, a large sum in today’s terms.