Publication Account

Date 1996

Event ID 1016448

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Publication Account

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1016448

In 1589, the creator of the 'new wark' at Tolquhon Castle (no. 43), the Renaissance man William Forbes, turned his mason, Thomas Leiper to the task of fashioning an elaborate tomb for himself and his wife. The tomb, which stood in the south aisle of the now vanished kirk, is a richly decorated arched structure combining Gothic and Renaissance motifs. The overall scheme is medieval in character, but most of the detail echoes classical motifs, seen best on the flanking balusters. The arms and initials of William Forbes (d 1596) and his wife, Elizabeth Gordon, are in the upper corners of the tomb. The tracery is supported by little beruffed portrait statues of the couple. Several other stones in the kirkyard are of interest, particularly one of 1583 to the Craig family. The present kirk dates from 1798 and has good internal woodwork (horseshoe gallery, pews and a fine pulpit) of c 1825.

Information from ‘Exploring Scotland’s Heritage: Aberdeen and North-East Scotland’, (1996).