View of the gravestone of James Low, 1752.

Description View of the gravestone of James Low, 1752.

Date c. 1990

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

Catalogue Number AN 5347/4

Category Photographs and Off-line Digital Images

Copies SC 799403

Scope and Content Gravestone of James Low, Strathmartine Old Parish Church and Burial Ground, Strathmartine, Angus This gravestone features a central winged soul (symbol of the spirit ascending to Heaven after death), with staring eyes, a strange curled wig, and carefully-incised feathers. Below can be seen an armorial panel with helmet and mantling (leafy drapery) around a shield bearing the tools of a miller. These are a mouline (top), a metal brace which held the top millstone in position, a brush (left) for sweeping grain into the centre of the millstones, and a pick (right) to re-cut the grinding surface of millstones. Millers were often very wealthy members of the community, who were allowed to take a proportion of grain from every batch sent for grinding by villagers as their payment. An honest miller was therefore highly respected, and it is this quality which is celebrated on the epitaph on this gravestone. This gravestone commemorates James Low, who died in 1752. It is inscribed: 'Here lyes James Low/Lawful son to Thomas Low/flour mill Dundee, who/died 1752 aged 18 years/Thy name, ay, they fame ay/Shall never by cutt off, Thy grave ay, shall have ay/Thy honest epitaph'. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

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