Field Visit
Date 11 October 1920
Event ID 1115405
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1115405
GARDENS, SUNDIALS, ETC.
North and east of the house lie the gardens enclosed by massive walls with moulded copings; in these walls are doorways of Renaissance design. Two bear initials A E. D. 5.7 (Alexander Earl of Dunfermline [ætat.] 57) and M. C. D. (Margaret Countess of Dunfermline [ætat.] 21). The conservatory obscures another doorway opening to the policy; this doorway has a good moulded architrave and is surmounted by a strap-worked cartouche flanked by engaged shafts. In 1884 two slabs, which had long been lying detached and exposed to the weather, were built into the wall through which it passes, one on either side of the doorway.
The panel on the north side bears a coronet with the initials A. S. and M. H. in monogram. The stone is much weathered and some of the letters are partially or wholly illegible. There is no doubt, however, as to the original reading:*
D. O. M.
SIBI . POSTERIS . BONIS . OMNIBVS . HVMANIS . VRBANISQVE . / HOMINIBVS . VRBANITATIS . OMNIS . HVMANITATISQVE . / AMANTISSIMVS . ALEXANDER . SETONIVS . VILLAM . / HORTOS . ET . HÆC . SVBVRBANA . ÆDFICIA· FVNDAVIT . / EXSTRVXIT . ORNAVIT . NIHIL . HIC . HOSTILE . NE . ARCENDIS / . QVIDEM . HOSTIBVS . NON . FOSSA . NON . VALLVM .VERVM . / AD . HOSPITES . BENIGNE . EXCIPIENDOS . BENEVOLE . / TRACTANDOS . FONS . AQVÆ . VIRGINIS . VIRIDARIA . /PISCINÆ · AVIARIA . PER . AMŒNITATEM . OMNIAAD. CORPVS . / ANIMVMQVE . HONESTE . OBLECTANDVM . COMPOSVIT . / QVISQVIS . IGITVR . IN . HÆC . FVRTO . FERRO . FLAMMA . / SEV . QVOMODOLIBET . HOSTILITER . SE . GESSERIT . / IS . SE . OMNIS . CARITATIS-VRBANITATISQVE . / EXPERTEM . IMMO . HVMANITATIS . OMNIS . HVMANIQVE . / GENERIS . HOSTEM . PROFITEATVR . LAPIDES . SANCTI . / LOQVENTVR . ET . PROMVLGABVNT.
[‘TO GOD MOST HOLY AND MOST HIGH For his own benefit, for the benefit of his descendants, and for the benefit of all good, humane and cultured men, Alexander Seton, a devout lover of all culture and humanity, founded, erected and adorned his country-seat, the gardens and these suburban buildings. Here there is nothing that savours of enmity, not even for defence against enemies; no ditch, no rampart; but for the gracious welcome and hospitable entertainment of guests a fountain of pure water, lawns, ponds and aviaries. In ways of pleasantness he has laid out all these for the honourable delight of body and of soul. Whoso therefore shall have comported himself towards them with enmity whether by robbery, sword, fire or in any way whatsoever, let that man proclaim himself devoid of charity and culture, nay rather an enemy of all humanity and of the human race. The stones of dedication ** will find full voice and publish it abroad."]
The south panel bears beneath a coronet the initials A. S. E. D. in monogram and the inscription:
[DEO] [O]PTIMO MAXIMO I [RE]RVM [OMNIVM] AVTHOR[I] / LARGITORI CONSERVATORI / IEHOVAE STATORI I CVIVS NVTV BENEFICIO / STANT BONA OMNIA C[ERTA] / HONOR OMNIS GLOR[IA]:
"To God most holy and most high, the author, the giver, the preserver of all things, Jehovah who is my strength, by whose will and loving kindness all blessings are assured, all honour and glory." Then follow, in Greek capitals, the words "Eulogia kai Eucharistia" ("Praise and thankfulness").
SUNDIALS.
(1) A plain tabular dial on the oriel, which probably dates from the 17th century.
(2) An obelisk dial set on the north wall of the garden east of the house, canted and not parallel to the wall line. The dial-stone is cubical and contains four incised dials. The pedestal beneath has been plated or perhaps painted with other dials; above the dial-stone rises a finial resembling those of the entrance gates and the well-head.
(3) The cap-stone of a 17th-century sundial, octagonal on plan, measuring 16 ¼ inches in diameter and 5 ½ inches in thickness. There is a dial on the upper surface and one on each of the facets.
RCAHMS 1929, visited 11 October 1920.
*The version printed in The Book of Seton (p. 822) is unfortunately both incomplete and inaccurate.
**The allusion is to the stone bearing this inscription and its fellow, both of them being dedicated to ‘God most holy and high’.
