Castle Fraser, Miss Bristow's Memorial

A029 Commemorative monument, Barrow (possible).

The monument known as Miss Bristow’s Monument is sited on a mound that is circular, measuring 15.0m in diameter and standing up to 1.5m high. This feature is surrounded by a ditch that is 0.5m wide and 0.3m deep. It is impossible to determine whether this feature is contemporary with the construction of Miss Bristow's monument or whether the latter was constructed on this site because the mound already existed.

B022 Miss Bristow's Memorial

A squat stone obelisk approx. 3.0m high set on a square base erected to commemorate Miss Elyza Fraser's friend, Miss Bristow. Located near Butler's or Bristow Cottage in Miss Bristow's Wood on a small mound. The 1st Edition OS shows a small path encircling the monument with links onto a main woodland path (C13).

Two earlier inscriptions commemorate the friendship of the two ladies; later ones commemorate Elyza herself and her nephew, Alexander, whom she made her heir instead of his elder brother, Charles. The inscriptions are as follows:

North Face

ENDOWED

WITH A BENEVOLENT HEART

ELEGANT TASTE

UNASSUMING MANNERS

AN INFORMED MIND.

UNRUFFLED BY PASSIONS

A SINCERE CHRISTIAN

UNTAINTED BY PREJUDICE.

SUCH WAS THE FRIEND

WHOSE LOSS IS DEPLORED

BY

ELYSA FRASER

SUCH WAS

MARY BRISTOW

West Face

MARY BRISTOW

DIED

AT CASTLE FRASER

XXIX OCTOBER MDCCCV

------

SACRED

TO THE MEMORY OF

A FRIENDSHIP

WHICH SUBSISTED

40 YEARS.

ELYSA FRASER

ERECTS THIS MONUMENT

IN THE GROVES PLANTED

BY HER LAMENTED FRIEND.

------

VALE! HU QUANTO MINUS EST

CUM RELIQUIS VERSARI

QUAM TUI MEMINISSE

South Face

IN MEMORY OF

LIEUTENANT GENERAL

ALEXr McKENZIE FRASER

GENERAL OF THE 78TH REGt.

DIED 13 SEPTr 1809

AGED 51.

IN ALL HIS MILITARY CAREER

FOR ZEAL & STEADINESS

SURPASSED BY NONE.

A LENGTH & VARIETY OF SERVICE

EQUALLED BY FEW.

WARM IN HIS AFFECTIONS

COOL IN HIS JUDGEMENTS.

MILD IN HIS MANNERS

FIRM IN HIS PURPOSES.

BELOVED ESTEEMED AND REGRETTED.

INSCRIBED TO HER NEPHEW BY

ELYSA FRASER

East Face

SACRED

TO THE MEMORY OF

ELYSA FRASER

LATE POSSESSOR

OF THIS CASTLE.

WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE

ON THE 8TH JAN. 1814

AGED 80.

-----

DISTINGUISHED BY HER

INTELLECTUAL ATTAINMENTS

& POLITE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

AND STILL MORE

BY THOSE VIRTUES

WHICH DIGNIFY & EXALT

HUMAN NATURE:

AFTER A LIFE SPENT IN THE

UNIFORM & ACTIVE DISCHARGE

OF EVERY CHRISTIAN DUTY

SHE RESIGNED HER BREATH

IN THE JOYFUL HOPE

OF A GLORIOUS IMMORTALITY.

THAT HER MEMORY MAY BE CHERISHED

BY THE INHABITANTS OF THIS PLACE

IS THE SINCERE PRAYER

OF HER

GRATEFUL RELATION & SUCCESSOR

CHARLES FRASER

(CAF96 A029/B022) Information from (BNM) March 2014