Archaeology Notes

Event ID 690468

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/690468

NO55NW 6.1 5185 5663

The remains of Woodrae, or Woodwray Castle were cleared away in 1819 when two sculptured cross-slabs with symbols were recovered from the foundation. One of the slabs was lost by 1854, but the other was presented to Sir Walter Scott and is now in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS) presented by Lt Col Maxwell-Scott of Abbotsford in 1924 (Accession no. IB 202).

It is an upright cross-slab 5'9" high by 3'4" at base tapering to 2'9" at the top by 5" thick. The front bears the cross with interlacing and beasts. The back, divided into two panels, bears symbols, horsemen etc. (This slab is so like those from Aberlemno (NO 522 555) only 1/2 mile away, that it must have come from there.) It had apparently been used as a slab for the kitchen floor.

J R Allen and J Anderson 1903; A Jervise 1859; Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1924.