The gravestone of John Taylor

Image: © Lairich Rig Taken: 4 Jul 2011

Writing in 1829, Daniel Weir noted that the oldest stone to be seen in the graveyard of Image was dated 1675. There are a couple of stones from that year; my photograph shows one of them, dating from August. For the other 1675 stone, dating from May of that year, see below. My particular interest in those stones is that they are the oldest. The church has been moved since Weir's day, but a few old gravestones, like this one, have been preserved by being incorporated in the north-western wall of the kirkyard (for context, see Image). The same wall also includes a corbel stone which is dated 1625: Image The inscription reads as follows: "This is the place appoynted for the burial of Iohn Tylor his wyfe and children / 3 Agust 1675 / IT / AH". Those last initials are those of Taylor and his wife. The elaborate glyphs between the initials resemble a mason's mark, but they are probably what is called "a merchant's 4". The other stone that is dated 1675 is next to this one (it is out of shot to the left), and bears a mark that is not identical, but which is very similar: Image Also to be seen nearby is the gravestone for a later Alexander Taylor (so spelled on the inscription), a weaver, who died in 1758. For a link to a site that shows many more of the old stones, and which gives their inscriptions, see Image

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