Crail, Marketgate, Churchyard. Bailie Thomas Young tombstone.

Description Crail, Marketgate, Churchyard. Bailie Thomas Young tombstone.

Date c. 1885

Collection Papers of Erskine Beveridge, antiquarian, Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland

Catalogue Number SC 739310

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of F 1977

Scope and Content Mural Monument to Bailie Thomas Young, Crail Parish Churchyard, Crail, Fife The old tree-lined churchyard of Crail Parish Church contains an important collection of mural monuments dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. The Scottish photographer, Erskine Beveridge, made a detailed photographic record of the mural tombs and their epitaphs on a visit to the churchyard c.1885. This large pedimented mural tomb, erected to the memory of Bailie Thomas Young (1683-1758), lies in the east wall of the churchyard. The epitaph takes the form of verse, attributed to Convener James Kingo who was said to have a great aptitude for doggerel rhyme. The first four lines read: 'Here lyes interrd before this tomb, the corpse of Bailie Thomas Young, ane honest man of good renown. Three times a Bailie in this town.' 18th-century memorials show a great variety of epitaphs, most of which were purpose-written by the local schoolmaster, minister or someone who fancied his rhyming skills. Some are expressions of praise for the person, some are messages of grief or comfort, and others refer to the trade or profession of the deceased. However, death was considered too serious a subject for humour. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/739310

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap