Newhailes, Earl Of Stair's Monument
Commemorative Monument (Mid 18th Century) (1746)
Site Name Newhailes, Earl Of Stair's Monument
Classification Commemorative Monument (Mid 18th Century) (1746)
Alternative Name(s) Newhailes House, Earl Of Stair Monument
Canmore ID 123532
Site Number NT37SW 168.06
NGR NT 32590 72680
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/123532
- Council East Lothian
- Parish Inveresk (East Lothian)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District East Lothian
- Former County Midlothian
Built in 1746 by Sir James Dalrymple in memory of his cousin John 2nd Earl of Stair, it consists of an ashlar obelisk some 9m high resting on an inscribed pedestal in turn supported by four water-carved stones.
The plinth of the obelisk has been replaced in a different stone, presumably in 1906, as a bronze plaque declares the recarving of the inscriptions in 1907. The original components are in fair condition.
The inscriptions with their translations are:
North side:-
MDCCXX
PROBA PERTINACA
CALPE
SERVATA
CVM
PORTV MACONIS
South side:-
MDCCXV INSIGNI DILIGENTIA ET SVMMA APVD PROREGEM GALLIAE CONCILIATA GRATIA HOSTES SPE ET CONSILIO FRVSTRAVIT
(1715: with superlative care and great good sense King’s envoy to France. He procured good will and frustrated his enemies by design)
East side:-
MORTALES SILEANT FASTVS VETERISOVE TYRANNI
NOMINA PYRAMIDVM STRVCTVS AD ASTRA LABOR
NVLLA FIDES SAXD PROPRIIS VERTVTIBVS HEROS
NITITVR HAVD NORINT HOC MONVMENTA MORI
JOANNI COMITI DE STAIR DE PATRIA ET PRINCIPI OPTIME MERITO VIVENTIPOSITUM MDCCXLVI
(Set up to John Earl of Stair while he lived for his great good service to fatherland and prince 1746)
West side:-
MDCCXLIII DE TINGEN (1743: Dettingen) This stone was renewed for preservation by the Rt Hon Sir Charles Dalrymple, Bart; AD 1907 LICVISSET (By permission)
Information from the NTS, January 2013
