494 Report of Meetings for 1889. By Dr. J. Hardy. 



emblems of death's heads and cross-bones were contrasted with 

 plump happy-looking cherubs. One stone with Foord on it, of 

 date 169 — , had on it an hour-glass and hand-bell ; probably 

 emblematic of the office of sexton. Another showed the spade 

 and shovel in saltier, perhaps dedicated to another "trusty 

 brother of the trade," as Blair grimly puts it. On one stone of 

 date 174 — , is a gentleman in the dress of Charles II., or James 

 VII. Half -figures of husband and wife appear on others. On 

 one, a female wears a furbelowed tippet, and beneath are 

 displayed four hearts in the quarterings of cross-bones. I have not 

 described all their peculiarities, as some were turned over after 

 I had left. The stone-cutters, whoever they were, have been 

 practised hands, and not country masons. 



The Swinton burial ground is enclosed within the walls 

 encircling the tower. Two of that ancient race were laid 

 there. Catherine Lauder, daughter of the family of the Bass, 

 wife of John Swinton, of Swinton, died soon after 8th October, 

 1515, and by her will directs her body to be buried " before the 

 altar of St. Ninian, in the parish church of Cranshaws." 

 (Swintons of that Ilk, p. 39.) The altar to this saint points to a 

 very earby origin of the church here. In the Papal Taxation of 

 churches in the early part of the reign of Edward I., the church 

 of Craneshaues, in the Deanery of -the Merske, was valued at 

 £20, and the Tithe at 40s. (Coldingham Correspondence, etc., 

 Surtees Society, App. p. ex.) 



There are only three Farms in the parish — Eawburn, Cran- 

 shaws, and Bothal, with roads to the Kirk from each, two 

 passing through Cranshaws farm ; the outer ground of which, 

 nearest the first, is called Eawburn shot ; that traversed by the 

 Bothal path is Bothal shot. 



Our remarks are confined to a ver} T limited circuit round 

 Cranshaws, and exclusive of places higher up the Whitadder. 



I went down to the modern church to await the company. 

 There was nothing to show except the square slab of the Lion 

 and Unicorn supporting an open crown, that had been removed 

 from the original church. It is beautifully finished and well 

 preserved. The manse is modern. 



There is not much of interest in the cottages not far off. One 

 is now called the Eowan tree, although formerly its name was 

 the Boon (Elder) tree, from some old standard bush of either 

 the one or the other that may have often gladdened the heart 



