View of Headstone for the McKissock children, 1765.

Description View of Headstone for the McKissock children, 1765.

Date 1985

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

Catalogue Number A 7318

Category Photographs and Off-line Digital Images

Copies SC 803888

Scope and Content Gravestone commemorating the McKissock children, Parish Church and Burial-Ground, Borgue, Dumfries & Galloway Here, the stonemason has shown the three children at the time of their Resurrection, naked other than their loin-cloths. In the centre, the smallest child Samuel clutches his brothers for support and appears to be standing on a heart motif. Such an emblem stands for love, which could be interpreted as being his parents' love for him. On either side, his brothers John and David stand on a coffin and a skull. While both are vivid symbols of death, in this case, the message is one of hope, being the triumph over mortal death. Above, a winged figure represents the soul's ascent to Heaven after death. Resurrection scenes like this are found across Scotland in a variety of forms. Sometimes, the scene includes a trumpeting angel, blowing the last trumpet to summon the dead from their graves at the Last Judgement. In some cases, only the angel appears, while they themselves are sometimes depicted standing on bones, hourglasses or skulls as proof of the final triumph over death, which now holds no power. The newly-risen often appear naked, though their modesty is usually covered by a loin-cloth. Such scenes express the ultimate hope of any Christian, namely a glorious Resurrection and a place in Heaven. This gravestone commemorates David McKissock, who died in 1765 aged 6 years, John McKissock, who died in 1763 aged 4 years, and Samuel McKissock, who died aged 5 months. The inscription reads: 'Here lyes the Corpse of David McKissock/who died Jany 9th aged 6 years/Also the Corpse of John McKissock who/died Jany 1763 aged 4 years & /of Samual McKissock who died March/21st 1763 aged 5 months children/to Alexr McKissock tenant in Borgue/ & of Mary Middleton his spouse'. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

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