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Roxburgh Parish Church
Church (Period Unassigned), War Memorial (20th Century)
Site Name Roxburgh Parish Church
Classification Church (Period Unassigned), War Memorial (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) War Memorial Plaque
Canmore ID 97446
Site Number NT73SW 261
NGR NT 70010 30683
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/97446
- Council Scottish Borders, The
- Parish Roxburgh
- Former Region Borders
- Former District Roxburgh
- Former County Roxburghshire
Roxburgh Parish Church, which lies at the heart of the village of Roxburgh, was built in 1752. The building is L-shaped on plan, and has a small bell-cote which houses a bell dated 1705. In 1828 the church underwent repairs, and a number of additions were made in 1865. Of particular note are the painted heraldic panels inside the church, and a pair of circular sundials on the exterior.
Memorials include the burial vault of the Scott-Kers of Chatto, relations of the Dukes of Roxburghe, and a headstone commemorating Andrew Gemmels, a soldier and latterly a 'gaberlunzie' or wandering beggar, who died in 1793 at the remarkable age of 106. Gemmels was a well-known figure throughout the Borders and appears to have been well acquainted with Sir Walter Scott who immortalised him as Edie Ochiltree in 'The Antiquary'. On the back of the headstone is a portrait of Andrew, clad in his ragged gown, with his stick, meal-bag and dog.
Text prepared by RCAHMS as part of the Accessing Scotland's Past project
Roxburgh, cross-slab
Measurements: H 0.74m, W 0.35m, D 0.15m
Stone type: sandstone.
Place of discovery: NT 70010 30683
Evidence for discovery: recorded in 1944 as ‘recently discovered’ (RCHMS 1956, no 904) in the graveyard of Roxburgh Parish Church, an eighteenth-century church beneath which are earlier foundations.
Present location: leaning against the wall of the church, to the left of the north doorway.
Present condition: worn, and one of the top corners is missing.
Description:
This is a small rectangular cross-slab with a tapering base. There is a cross carved in low relief on both broad faces. On face A within a plain flat-band border is a cross with three upper wedge-shaped arms and two lower bars radiating out to the lower corners of the panel. In the centre of the cross is a sunken roundel. Face C bears a cross with a wedge-shaped upper arm, two bars forming the side-arms and three bars forming the lower arm. In the centre of the cross is a deeply incised circle. All the arms and bars on both faces touch the outer border. Narrow faces B and D bear three parallel vertical linear grooves.
Date: tenth or eleventh century.
Primary references: RCAHMS 1956, no 904; Martin & Oram 2007, 395, illus 27.
Site visit and compiled by A Ritchie 2019.
NT73SW 261.00 70010 30683
The parish church of Roxburgh is situated on a low mound between Teviot Road and a loop road to the S.
The church is approximately square in plan and measures about 13m by 13m with a small outshot on the SE corner.
Built in 1752; further repaired in 1828, with additions circa 1865. The interior has painted heraldic panels and 1705 bell. (Historic Scotland listing information).
Visited by RCAHMS (DE), 24 March 2007
Sbc Note
Visibility: This is an upstanding building.
Information from Scottish Borders Council.
