OLD TOMBSTONES

Evening Star, Issue 22460, 3 October 1936, Page 28

OLD TOMBSTONES

SOME QUAINT BORDER EXAMPLES CONCEITS OF CARVING It was the chairman of a parish council, it is said, who, on giving his casting vote after a discussion regarding the repair of the churchyard wall, summed matters up thus: “Mo. No. Sic expense is quite uncalled for. Them that are in oanna get qot, and them that are oot dinna want in! ” The latter part of his statement seems to contain a great amount of truth, because it is a fact that very few people indeed appear to be aware that in practically every old churchyard in the country there are innumerable tombstones whose quaintness of wording or conceits of carving render them of truly absorbing interest. One does not need to be morbid, either, to be able to appreciate them. Humour can be found,_ without much searching, incorporated in a number of the inscriptions, whilst many of the sculptured images recall inevitably some of the celebrated handiwork of Mr Jacob Epstein. “ Here lies Mary (it would he unfair to give the name). Spouse of John , who, to his and his 13 children’s great regret, did expire,” says one. Whilst another, which was raised by subscription, catalogues laboriously the multifarious attainments of a one-time .parochially prominent citizen, and maintains as a climax that “ The Spirit shall return to the Lord Who gave it.” My guide to this stone, a smiling philosopher or a cheery old sinner— I am not sure which —well over the span of years allotted by the Psalmist, chuckled as I read this. On asking the reason: “Oh! It’ll be fine,” he answered, “ when a’body has forgotten. But and he stopped for effect, “ he died o’ the D.T.s!” As nowadays the regulations which govern the erection of these stones arc fairly strict, and tend, unfortunately, to produce monotony, it is amongst the older ones that those of most interest are likely to be found. Stonemasons, dykers, and sometimes friends of the departed, whose only qualification for the job would appear to have been their zeal, produced many of them. CARVED BY THOMAS TELFORD. A classic stone is that hewn and carved by Thomas Telford, the great engineer, in memory of his father, the “ unblameable shepherd,” and erected in Westerkirk churchyard. It states concisely the necessary facts. It is dignified, austere, and practical; it forecasts the nature of its creator’s future works. Tho resting place in Ettrick churchyard of the grandfather of James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd, Will o’ Phaup, who was a very famous athlete in his time, is noteworthy also for its unique phraseology. “ Here lyeth William Laidlaw, The far famed AVill o’ Phaup, Who for feats of frolic agility & strength Had no equal in his day. He was born at Craik a.d. 1691 And died in the 84th year of his age. Also Margaret his oldest daughter Spouse to Robert Hogg and Mother of The Ettrick Shepherd. These two stones are, it is evident, tho handiwork of expert sculptors. Some of these produced' by less skilled craftsmen are, however, just as interesting. REMARKABLE EXAMPLE, In the Ashkirk churchyard there is a remarkable one. Here lyes Anne Scoot Spowes to _ Ptriok Hwme Inphili Phawgh who died i wly 17 1733 aged 30 also Jean Wile w am & Margret Hm 3 of there child ren There may have been an Ann Scoot, hut as in no other Border churchyard have I been able to trace the name, I think we may take it that Scott was intended. Tho reversed Ns and the use of W for TJ, whilst fairly common on old stones, are seldom seen in such good preservation as hero. William is spelt Wileam, fairly phonetically, when you come to think of it, but the sculptor has apparently grown weary of his work, as he has curtailed the final Hume into HM only, the small W above having been evidently inserted later. Perhaps it is amongst the decorated stones that most diversion will be obtained. One cannot examine many of these before being struck by the remarkable evidence of fashions in them. At one period skulls, crossbones, and hour-glasses were apparently “ de ngeur,” whilst at another, a later date it would seem, cherubs and angels were the correct thing to have. In a number of these latter a book is introduced, presumably the Book of Life, and at Dryburgh we see the idea adapted to show the departed herself studiously perusing it, PROBLEM INSCRIPTIONS. A curious tombstone of this kind is in the Melrose churchyard. It is an evident adaption, and shows a female figure examining, in place of the book, a mason’s square and compasses. On the back one reads: — ' “ Hero lyes all that’s subject to Mortality of Andrew Pringle, Mason in and Portioner of Ncwstead, who died 'Jo June, 1780, aged 67 years, also Helen Cairncross, ins wife, who died 5 August, 1823, aged 85.” I do not think that this has any connection with such avowedly Masonic stones ns are to be found at Coldingham, for instance, but—what does it mean P

Did the widow erect it, and is it her portrait, sorrowfully examining the tools of her husband’s craft? Truly, a strange conceit. In the Eyemouth churchyard a great many of the usual skull and crossbones have been incorporated in the walls of the watch house which was built at the time of the Burke and Hare atrocities, but, appropriately enough, a very wide-awake looking cherub guards the door. It is said that “ clothes date,” also that “ there’s nothing new under the sun,” but two stones in the Bowden and Lilliesleaf churchyards would seem to favour the latter contention, because in both of these short skirts and bobbed hair are very evident. Perhaps the most startling stone in the light of present-day art is one which 'is at Linton, It would seem to me to combine the best (or worst) of modern popular sculpture with the additional puzzle of the problem picture. I am afraid that its designer, though he might have done so now-

adays, would not then make a fortune. Assuredly he lived before his time. THE UNNAMED MUSICIAN. In quite a different style and exceptionally interesting is the tombstone which is to be found near the south transept door of Melrose Abbey. Skilfully carved on it are a man’s head, which one can well believe to be an excellent portrait, a violin, its ■bow, and a clarinet. There is no name on tho stone, which is part of tho romance beldnd it. About tho end of tho eighteenth century a wandering minstrel, blind through the ravages of smallpox, arrived at Melrose. With such skill and feeling did he render Scottish airs and reels and strathspeys that he charmed a way speedily into the hearts of the inhabitants. David Kyle, the celebrated landlord of the George, who is referred to repeatedly in “ Captain Clutterbuck’s ” Introductory Epistle to ‘ The Monastery,’ gave him bed and board, and, such an attraction did he become, that they looked after him carefully till the day he died. The George was an important hostelry in these days. The stage coaches changed their horses there, and many visitors of importance, including His Majesty’s judges, when on their way to tho Assizes at Jedburgh, stayed within its hospitable walls. Night after night the blind minstrel, whose name was discovered to be James Donaldson, played to tho guests, with the result that his fame spread far and near, so that after he died, which was in 1808, this stone was immediately erected by public subscription, and it was not considered necessary to add his name to it. At that time he was too well known, but it might be as well, however, if now the omission were rectified. If brevity is the soul of wit, then surely Berwick-on-Tweed may lay claim to possessing the wittiest tombstone. It records two stories, thus: — “ Jane Story died Decbr. 17th, 1798. Sarah Story died Eebr. 9th, 1799.” That is all. Not another word. Whilst a more elaborate inscription might have enlightened us, or at least have partly done so, as to what lies behind this, it is pretty certain that none could have been devised more keenly to awaken tho imagination. —Walter Brydon, in the ‘ Weekly Scotsman.’