We were driving through Penicuik a couple of weeks ago when I spotted a Commonwealth War Graves sign on some old churchyard gates. There was a car park just across the road so we were able to stop for a mooch around the graveyard which is a really old one and has the remains of an ancient church in the middle of it, as well as the large replacement Victorian church which is still in use.
The photos above are all of the original St Mungo’s. The photo below shows part of the Victorian replacement.
Some of the gravestones are really ancient. There are the usual warning signs of danger from unsafe stones.
This is one from the sixteenth century, back and front – the best I’ve ever seen of that type.
From what I can make out it’s of Annie Melrose, spouse of John Hodge. In Scotland women are (or were) reverted to their maiden name after death. It makes sense because often men went through three or four wives what with women dying in childbirth or whatever.
St Mungo – or St Kentigern as he is sometimes called – is patron saint of Glasgow but was apparently born Culross which is not far from us in Fife.
All those mossy old stones are fascinating. Love the one with the skeleton and skulls. Grave markers these days tend to be so dull.
Stefanie,
And some of the modern ones are not wearing at all well, even after just a few years, so there’s no chance of them still being legible after 500 years!
What a gorgeous and sobering old church and graveyard. I love that last gravestone.
Joan,
That last one is so well preserved, it must be a particularly solid kind of stone.
It looks a beguiling place – and that gravestone with the skeleton is unlike any I’ve ever seen. A good find!
Sandra,
I don’t think these skeleton headstones are peculiar to Scotland, at that time they were keen on reminding the living that death could be just around the corner, quite macabre.