Uncovering mass grave of the Dunbar martyrs
Further, as regards the exact number of Scots who died at Durham, we have evidence, in a letter to the English Parliament of 31 October, 1650, from Sir Arthur Haselrigge MP.
Haselrigge, whom Cromwell had put in charge of the Scots prisoners, states that "of the 3,000 prisoners that my officers told (put for imprisonment] into the Cathedral Church at Durham… about 1,600 are dead and buried".
As the then English government had an expectation of the number which could be sold into bonded labour, Haselrigge had to be as exact as possible in this estimation.
GEORGE WILSON
Dunbar
East Lothian