View of gravestone. Digital image of B 4315/19.

Description View of gravestone. Digital image of B 4315/19.

Date 1991

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

Catalogue Number SC 801000

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of B 4315/19

Scope and Content Gravestone commemorating John Lishman, Walston Parish Church and Churchyard, South Lanarkshire The mason who cut this gravestone probably took his inspiration from the fine memorial to Robert Wyld in this churchyard. Standing between a pair of pilasters, John is depicted wearing the long, full-skirted coat typical of the 18th century, with the detail of its button-holes and pockets visible in this photograph. The figure appears to be gripping the pilasters, as if walking past them and towards the viewer. To the right of his head is an hourglass, an emblem of mortality, the sands of time having run out. The object to the left may be the Bible, a symbol of John's faith in the Word of God. Post-Reformation gravestones like this are an important part of the nation's heritage, documenting the lives of ordinary Scots who would otherwise leave little record of their existence. Through the decorative carvings and inscriptions it is possible to learn more about the lives of these people, what they did for a living and, in this cases, the clothes they wore and what they looked like. This gravestone commemorates John Lishman, son of a tenant farmer, who died in 1731, aged 23 years. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/801000

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap