Robert Taylor's Firsthand Account of the 1979 Encounter

Introduction

The Livingston incident of 1979, also called the Dechmont Woods encounter or the Robert Taylor incident, remains one of the most scrutinised and controversial close‑encounter reports in British UFO lore. What makes the case distinct is not merely the claim of an unidentified craft but the depth and specificity of forestry worker Robert “Bob” Taylor’s eyewitness testimony, coupled with physical after‑effects and police documentation. This page offers a detailed analysis of Taylor’s firsthand account — his narrative, how he described the objects and their effects, and the immediate aftermath as recorded by authorities — without rehashing broader case history. [Wikipedia]WikipediaRobert Taylor incidentRobert Taylor incident

Taylor’s Arrival at Dechmont Woods and Initial Sighting

On the morning of 9 November 1979, 61‑year‑old forestry worker Robert Taylor set out on a routine inspection of woodland near Dechmont Law, West Lothian, accompanied by his red setter dog, approximately between 10:00 and 10:30 AM. [ufologie.patrickgross.org]ufologie.patrickgross.orgufo - UFOs at close sight: Dechmont Woods, Scotland, November 9, 1979…Published: November 9, 1979

Taylor parked his pickup truck off a forest track and walked along a path that led through a plantation clearing. As he rounded a bend into a small clearing, he reported seeing an object unlike anything from ordinary forestry or aviation. What he described was:

• A large, circular, almost spherical object, roughly 20 ft (about 6 metres) across and about 12 ft high. [ufologie.patrickgross.org]ufologie.patrickgross.orgufo - UFOs at close sight: Dechmont Woods, Scotland, November 9, 1979…Published: November 9, 1979
• It appeared dark grey and metallic, with a texture Taylor likened to rough or sand‑like material. [ufologie.patrickgross.org]ufologie.patrickgross.orgufo - UFOs at close sight: Dechmont Woods, Scotland, November 9, 1979…Published: November 9, 1979
• Taylor recalled a narrow flange or rim circling the craft and that some parts seemed to blur or grow slightly transparent, as if attempting to “cloak” themselves. [ufologie.patrickgross.org]ufologie.patrickgross.orgufo - UFOs at close sight: Dechmont Woods, Scotland, November 9, 1979…Published: November 9, 1979
• The object was silent and motionless, hovering just above ground level. [ufologie.patrickgross.org]ufologie.patrickgross.orgufo - UFOs at close sight: Dechmont Woods, Scotland, November 9, 1979…Published: November 9, 1979

These descriptive elements are consistent across multiple accounts of Taylor’s testimony and form the cornerstone of the encounter narrative. [nicap.org]nicap.orgUF O ReportUF O Report

Encounter with the Spheres and Physical Contact

According to Taylor’s testimony, after observing the primary object, two smaller spherical devices emerged from beneath it. These secondary spheres were:

Taylor reported that these smaller spheres came directly at him, despite his dog’s barking and agitation. As they reached him, their spikes appeared to attach themselves to his trousers and legs, ripping through the fabric down to near his skin. [ufologie.patrickgross.org]ufologie.patrickgross.orgufo - UFOs at close sight: Dechmont Woods, Scotland, November 9, 1979…Published: November 9, 1979

Taylor also recalled:

This combination of sensory experiences — visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile — forms the most vivid part of Taylor’s account and is cited in nearly every narrative retelling of the incident. [UFO Casebook]ufocasebook.comUFO Casebook1979-Dechmont Woods Abduction of Robert Taylor-UFO Casebook Files…

Immediate Aftermath: Waking, Injuries, and Return Home

When Taylor regained consciousness, the primary object and the smaller spheres were no longer present. He described physical and neurological after‑effects including:

• A headache and aching legs. ufologie.patrickgross.org [ufologie.patrickgross.org]ufologie.patrickgross.orgufo - UFOs at close sight: Dechmont Woods, Scotland, November 9, 1979…Published: November 9, 1979 * A sore throat and a lingering bitter taste in his mouth. ufologie.patrickgross.org [ufologie.patrickgross.org]ufologie.patrickgross.orgufo - UFOs at close sight: Dechmont Woods, Scotland, November 9, 1979…Published: November 9, 1979 * Difficulty walking and speaking. ufologie.patrickgross.org [ufologie.patrickgross.org]ufologie.patrickgross.orgufo - UFOs at close sight: Dechmont Woods, Scotland, November 9, 1979…Published: November 9, 1979

Unable to start his truck, he eventually crawled and then staggered his way back toward his vehicle. At one stage he even became stuck in mud, further delaying his return. He then walked roughly a mile back to his home in Livingston, arriving around 11:45 AM. [UFO Casebook]ufocasebook.comUFO Casebook1979-Dechmont Woods Abduction of Robert Taylor-UFO Casebook Files…

On reaching home, Taylor was visibly shaken, his clothes torn and his demeanour dishevelled. His wife, alarmed by his condition, called both a doctor and the police. The doctor noted grazes on his chin and thighs. [Wikipedia]WikipediaRobert Taylor incidentRobert Taylor incident

Police Involvement and Physical Trace Claims

What sets Taylor’s account apart from many UFO reports is its immediate intersection with law enforcement. Police officers accompanied Taylor back to the clearing where the event reportedly took place. According to available accounts:

• They found parallel ladder‑like tracks in the turf where the large object was said to have been. [UFO Casebook]ufocasebook.comUFO Casebook1979-Dechmont Woods Abduction of Robert Taylor-UFO Casebook Files…
• There were also multiple shallow circular holes in the ground consistent with the trajectory described for the smaller spheres. [UFO Casebook]ufocasebook.comUFO Casebook1979-Dechmont Woods Abduction of Robert Taylor-UFO Casebook Files…
• Taylor’s torn trousers were examined forensically; police reported that the tear patterns were consistent with considerable force applied upward, though this did not necessarily prove the narrative of what produced them. [ufologie.patrickgross.org]ufologie.patrickgross.orgufo - UFOs at close sight: Dechmont Woods, Scotland, November 9, 1979…Published: November 9, 1979

Detective Sergeant Ian Wark, a leading investigating officer at the scene, stated that he found Taylor’s account credible in the sense that Taylor genuinely reported what he believed he had seen, even as conventional explanations for the marks eluded the inquiry. [ufologie.patrickgross.org]ufologie.patrickgross.orgufo - UFOs at close sight: Dechmont Woods, Scotland, November 9, 1979…Published: November 9, 1979

Consistency of Taylor’s Narrative Over Time

Throughout subsequent decades, Taylor maintained no substantive change to his central account. He was described by local acquaintances as a reliable, stable individual with no apparent motive for fabrication and no unusual psychological history that would clearly account for hallucination or confusion at the time. [ufologie.patrickgross.org]ufologie.patrickgross.orgufo - UFOs at close sight: Dechmont Woods, Scotland, November 9, 1979…Published: November 9, 1979

Even after extensive public interest and sceptical reinterpretations, Taylor stood by his testimony until his death in 2007, insisting that what he saw and experienced on that day was real as he described it. [Ôdla]odla.frÔdla Livingston: un étrange accident au coeur de l'ÉcosseÔdlaLivingston: un étrange accident au coeur de l'Écosse - Décembre 2019 - Ôdla: actualité Ufologique et phénomènes inexpliquésDecember…

Summary: What Taylor’s Testimony Adds to the Case

Taylor’s eyewitness account is anchored in specific sensory description, reported physical affects, and a sequence of events that led to medical and law‑enforcement involvement. His narrative is not simply a sighting but a detailed, multi‑sensed event with claimed physical consequences — torn clothing, bodily discomfort, unconsciousness — and an extended narrative consistency that has become central to how the Livingston incident is understood and debated. [Wikipedia]WikipediaRobert Taylor incidentRobert Taylor incident

While interpretations of what Taylor saw vary widely — from extraterrestrial visitation to mundane or neurological explanations — the core of the case remains his detailed and persistent testimony, which continues to attract both sceptical scrutiny and UFO‑research interest. [ufologie.patrickgross.org]ufologie.patrickgross.orgufo - UFOs at close sight: Dechmont Woods, Scotland, November 9, 1979…Published: November 9, 1979

Endnotes

1. Source: Wikipedia
   Title: Robert Taylor incident
   Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Taylor_incident

2. Source: ufologie.patrickgross.org
   Link: https://ufologie.patrickgross.org/htm/dechmontwoods79.htm
   Source snippet

   ufo - UFOs at close sight: Dechmont Woods, Scotland, November 9, 1979...

   Published: November 9, 1979

3. Source: nicap.org
   Title: UF O Report
   Link: https://www.nicap.org/casework/2015index/791109livingston_dir.htm

4. Source: ufocasebook.com
   Link: https://www.ufocasebook.com/taylor1979.html
   Source snippet

   UFO Casebook1979-Dechmont Woods Abduction of Robert Taylor-UFO Casebook Files...

5. Source: dechmontcommunitycouncil.com
   Link: https://www.dechmontcommunitycouncil.com/history
   Source snippet

   HISTORY | dechmontccwlHISTORY Dechmont is a village located near Uphall, West Lothian in Scotland, with a population of around 1,000...

Additional References

1. Source: ufomagazines.com
   Link: https://www.ufomagazines.com/bufora-1979-1989-journal-of-transient-aerial-phenomena-jtap-vol-1-no-2-mar-1980/
   Source snippet

   March 1, 1980 — RECURRING THEMES AND EDITORIAL STANCE The recurring themes in this issue are the scientific investigation of UFO phenomen...

   Published: March 1, 1980

2. Source: undiscoveredscotland.co.uk
   Link: https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/livingston/livingstonincident/index.html
   Source snippet

   The Livingston Incident Feature Page on Undiscovered ScotlandTHE LIVINGSTON INCIDENT Image: Stone and Plaque Marking Site of Incident Sto...

3. Source: ufoinsight.com
   Title: The Livingston Dechmont Woods Incident – A “Criminal Investigation” Of A UFO!
   Link: https://www.ufoinsight.com/ufos/close-encounters/livingston-dechmont-woods-criminal-investigation-ufo
   Source snippet

   UFO InsightMarch 28, 2017 — THE LIVINGSTON DECHMONT WOODS INCIDENT – A “CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION” OF A UFO! By Marcus Lowth Image: Publishe...

   Published: March 28, 2017

4. Source: arquivoufo.eurisko.com.br
   Title: eurisko.com.br Incidente OVNI de Dechmont Woods foi investigado pela polícia
   Link: https://arquivoufo.eurisko.com.br/2022/12/17/incidente-ovni-de-dechmont-woods-foi-investigado-pela-policia/
   Source snippet

   OVNI de Dechmont Woods foi investigado pela políciaDecember 17, 2022 — INCIDENTE OVNI DE DECHMONT WOODS FOI INVESTIGADO PELA POLÍCIA Últi...

   Published: December 17, 2022

5. Source: ufo-explorer.com
   Title: and 10:30 a.m. Taylor, who was at the time working for the Livingston Devel
   Link: https://ufo-explorer.com/sightings/bobtaylor/
   Source snippet

   A Kidnapping In The Woods – UFO-ExplorerA KIDNAPPING IN THE WOODS Image Image LIVINGSTON, SCOTLAND | 1979 On November 9, 1979, approximat...

   Published: November 9, 1979

6. Source: latest-ufo-sightings.net
   Title: The Close Encounter Investigated by the Police • Latest UFO Sightings
   Link: https://www.latest-ufo-sightings.net/2019/12/the-close-encounter-investigated-by-the-police.html
   Source snippet

   December 4, 2019 — THE CLOSE ENCOUNTER INVESTIGATED BY THE POLICE December 4, 2019 LUFOS Europe, Latest posts 1 Image UFO sighting in woo...

   Published: December 4, 2019

7. Source: exonews.org
   Title: West Lothian Council Create ‘UFO Trail’ at Site of Famous Close
   Link: https://exonews.org/west-lothian-council-create-ufo-trail-at-site-of-famous-close-encounter/
   Source snippet

   October 15, 2018 — WEST LOTHIAN COUNCIL CREATE ‘UFO TRAIL’ AT SITE OF FAMOUS CLOSE ENCOUNTER * October 15, 2018 * ExoNews Editor * UFOs...

   Published: October 15, 2018

8. Source: odla.fr
   Title: Ôdla Livingston: un étrange accident au coeur de l’Écosse
   Link: https://www.odla.fr/2019/12/13/livingston-un-%C3%A9trange-accident-au-coeur-de-l-%C3%A9cosse-d%C3%A9cembre-2019/
   Source snippet

   ÔdlaLivingston: un étrange accident au coeur de l'Écosse - Décembre 2019 - Ôdla: actualité Ufologique et phénomènes inexpliquésDecember...

9. Source: mysteriousbritain.co.uk
   Title: Dechmont Woods Encounter – Mysterious Britain & Ireland
   Link: https://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/ufos/dechmont-woods-encounter/
   Source snippet

   September 12, 2008 — * UFO Sightings / UFOs DECHMONT WOODS ENCOUNTER by Ian · Published September 12, 2008 · Updated December 17, 2018 Bo...

   Published: September 12, 2008

10. Source: ghosttheory.com
    Title: The Dechmont Woods Encounter – Ghost Theory
    Link: https://www.ghosttheory.com/2015/09/14/the-dechmont-woods-encounter
    Source snippet

    September 14, 2015 — THE DECHMONT WOODS ENCOUNTER * In Aliens, Headline, UFOs * September 14, 2015 * Xavier * 5725 Views * 2 comments In...

    Published: September 14, 2015