Old Grave with two Skeletons. By Rev. W. Dobie. 1 85 



(referring to the lower part of the field,) "and in throwing out a good 

 deal of the boggy soil, they found a smith's anvil, which corroborating 

 the legend, they sent to Abbotsford to Sir Walter Scott." On learning 

 rlie additional circumstance I had recourse to the memory of the " oldesl 

 inhabitant," but have not been able to elucidate the tradition further. A 1 1 

 agree in saying " that the house and smithy was standing when the people 

 went to church, and when they came back it was below the earth and 

 covered with water," and an old man says "when the place was drained 

 there weie smith's tools found. " No one can give any idea as to dates. 



On an Old Grave containing two Skeletons covered by 

 a Slab at Ladykirk Church. By the Rev. William 

 Dobie, A.M. 



While lately excavating a pit, on the north side of Ladykirk 

 Church, for the erection of a new heating apparatus, the work - 

 men, at a depth of 3 feet 8 inches from the surface, came upon 

 two skeletons. One was lying feet towards the east, the other 

 with feet to the west, and both bodies were more than half their 

 length under a buttress. Flat unpolished flags of grey freestone 

 covered the remains, which were found in a wonderful state of 

 preservation and which gave evidence that the individuals in 

 life had not been of gigantic stature. The foreheads were narrow 

 and low : — teeth, upper and lower, still in position and very 

 perfect. The skull especially in one case very entire. This 

 Church, of which the buttress in question is an original part, 

 was built 386 years ago ; and these two bodies, being clearly 

 under the foundation of the buttress must have lain there 

 unnoticed and unknown for about 400 years. 



