View of gravestone of Alexander Thomson, 1779, with emblems of a gardener.

Description View of gravestone of Alexander Thomson, 1779, with emblems of a gardener.

Date c. 1990

Collection Papers of Betty Willsher, historian, St Andrews, Scotland

Catalogue Number SC 794859

Category On-line Digital Images

Scope and Content Gravestone of Alex Thomson, Cortachy Old Parish Church and Burial-Ground, Cortachy, Angus Three carved stone potted plants feature on the top of this unusual stone which commemorates the son of a gardener. Appropriately, the upper panel also shows horticultural items including roses in Chinese-style vases and a broad-leaved tree. The oval panel below bears a heraldic shield with inscribed initials, below a helmet and billowing ribbons. Flowers are symbols of regeneration after death, and also life cut short. The pair of vases with their cut flowers (which only last a short time) may therefore represent the short life of the deceased. The potted plants on top of the gravestone resembling cacti may represent clipped ornamental shrubs (topiary). This gravestone commemorates Alex Thomson, who died in 1779. It is inscribed: 'Erected by James Thomson/gardiner in Cortachy & his wife Ann Gourlay in memory of their/son Alex who died 9 January 1779 aged ten weeks'. Wives retain their maiden names on many Scottish monuments. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

External Reference BWA/392

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/794859

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap