Friday 26 October 2007

Peebles Kirkyard



Peebles Kirkyard

Note the change in lettering style.

Peebles Kirkyard

Here lyes Thomas Stevenson tenant in Bonningtoun who dyid May 8 1757 aged 74 years.

Peebles Kirkyard

A great carving, still fresh and unweathered.

Peebles Kirkyard

The soul rising from the body to await the Day of Judgement.

Peebles Kirkyard

Not a pirate's grave, but the Death's Head is a symbol of mortality. The hourglass represents the passage of time.

Peebles Kirkyard

Represents the soul of the departed rising to heaven. A symbol of immortality.

Peebles Kirkyard


Peebles Kirkyard

Skull carving. Is he grinning?

Peebles Kirkyard


Sunday 21 October 2007

Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh


Another two of the Green Men on John Milne's monument. Definitely the last - try not to have too many nightmares tonight!

Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh


The top carving is probably a representation of John Milne's soul leaving the body and rising to Heaven. Below, is a fearsome Green Man.

Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh


The top green man on John Milne's monument. Unusually this Green Man has what looks like bat wings.

Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh

John Milne's monument, with not one but five Green Men! The pagan symbol of a Green Man was used as early as the 2nd-3rd century by the Romans and was commonly found in churches and cathedrals and then later became popular on gravestones in lowland Scotland. This monument is rich in imagery. An hour-glass indicates the passage of time, cherubs or winged souls represent the soul leaving the body on death and ascending to wait the day of judgement, and the downward facing pair of crossed torches represent death and a life cut short.

Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh


Greyfriars is noted for its large number of very big and ornate monuments dating back to the 1600s. Here are three. The dirty black colour of the stone is caused by atmospheric pollution over the centuries in 'Auld Reekie' - something not seen in the country kirkyards where I usually find myself.

Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh

Detail of the skeleton carving

Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh


OK, I was not supposed to be visiting a cemetery today but when in Edinburgh I happened to be passing Greyfriars Kirkyard and I just happened to have my camera with me so I took a few images. This one with a great skeleton is up against the kirk wall as you enter the kirkyard - very difficult to miss. The standing skeleton with the scythe, the King of Terrors, is the 'personification of death'. Below, the coffins and the sexton's tools - spade and turf cutter and the death's head and crossed bones are all further emblems of mortality.

Winged skeleton, Yarrow Church, Borders


A standing skeleton is regarded as 'the personification of death - the King of Terrors'. The dart is a 'weapon of death' in his left hand. Skulls or Death's Heads are very common on old gravestones, winged skulls are also well known but this is the first winged skeleton I have come across. They are emblems of mortality. ... all really cheerful stuff eh.... but a great carving! I wonder what is in his other hand - buried under the ground.

Body in graveyard


If you come across a body in a Scottish graveyard - don't be concerned - it might just be me getting a good shot of some cracker of a carving! - and what was that cracker... see next post! Credit for this image to JM.

Thursday 18 October 2007

Introduction

A blog about Scottish gravestones from the 17th-19th centuries. More soon!