Paisley High Kirkyard: Corse/Lochhead stone

Image: © Lairich Rig Taken: 7 Mar 2014

For context, see Image The particular stone shown here is on the wall beside the far left end of the church halls. For the main description of the church and kirkyard, see Image, and click on the end-note title for related images. The compilers of the published Monumental Inscriptions(*) records (see the last-cited link) were, because of an intervening enclosure, not able to get close to this stone in 1969 when they carried out their survey. They stated that Mary Ann Semple's manuscript gave "Curr" as the surname, but that in the inscription it looked (from a distance) more like Cock or Cook. [(*) My comments above refer specifically to the MI records published in 1992; revised editions may have been issued since then.] However, I was able to get a much better look at the stone, with favourable lighting, and I later had the opportunity to examine Mary Ann Semple's original manuscript (c.1850) in the course of my research. The compilers of the MI listings evidently misread her handwriting. I found it quite legible, and can affirm that Mary Ann Semple did in fact read and record the surname on this stone quite correctly, as given below: "This is the Property of Walter Corse and Mary Lochhead and their Heirs. 1793. № 75."

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