OS1/13/121/54E

Continued entries/extra info

[Page] 54e
[Note] -- This might be attached to the Abbey Name Book.
[Signed] J.B. Capt. R.E [Captain Royal Engineers]

THE DUNFERMLINE JOURNAL, 29th JUNE, 1855.
Royal Tombs at Dunfermline.
In our paper of 25th May we inserted a letter
on 'the Royal Scottish Cemetery at Dunferm-
line' by M. G. Surenne, F.S.S.A. [Fellow of the Scottish Society of Antiquaries] Since
then, several of our contemporaries have pub-
lished extracts from the papers on 'the Royal
Tombs at Dunfermline,' by Dr [Doctor] E Henderson,
of St Helens. As the subject is one of great
historical, as well as local interest, we give
the following from the fullest account we can
find. From a perusal it will be seen that it
is now nearly 300 years since the Royal Tombs
at Dunfermline were destroyed, and that
hitherto tradition has been in error when
pointing out the site of the 'LOCUM SEPUL-
TURAE REGIUM' of history.
'Within the hallowed walls of Dunfermline
Abbey were interred the mortal remains of
eight Kings, five Queens, six Princes, and two
Princesses of Scotland. Their once magni-
ficent tombs have long since disappeared, not
a vestige of them remains to point out the
site of the ancient original "LOCUM SEPUL-
TURAE REGIUM". Tradition, from time im-
memorial, has pointed to a spot, now under
the floor of the north transept of the present
modern church, as being the "sacred ground"
where the royal remains were deposited. And
why does tradition point to this place? Pro-
bably because there lay here - uncovered until
the year 1818 - six extraordinary large flat
gravestones, arranged in two parallel rows;
and as it was long the popular belief that there
were only six kings interred in the Abbey,
very likely at some remote period an inference
was drawn, that these "six stones" covered the
remains of "the six kings;" and thus in pro-
cess of time tradition would point to these
stones in this place as being the undoubted
"LOCUM SEPULTURAE REGIUM". But never
did tradition commit a more serious error.
For ages tradition has been pointing to this
spot as the royal burial-place, all the while
tradition has been pointing to a myth, for the
royal tombs were not here, the site of the an-
cient "locum sepulturae Regium" was not in
this place - it was before the altars in the
Church of the Holy Trinity. Previous to
1250 this traditionary site of the royal tombs
was entirely in the open air, at some distance
from this church and its altars.
In the year 1834 the writer was in Dun-
fermline, and he carefully examined the tradi-
tionary site of the royal tombs, and compared
it with several important but hitherto over-
looked facts recorded in history. AFter ma-
ture consideration, he came to the conclusion
that this traditionary site had no connection
with the royal burying-place; and also, that
there must have been two distinct places of
royal sepulture, at two different periods of time;
that the first series of royal remains, com-
mencing with Margaret in 1093, were depo-
sited before the altars of the Church of 'the
Holy Trinity', and that the second series, be-
ginning with Alexander III. in 1285, were
deposited in the new eastern church, finished
in 1250.
The writer thinks he will place this beyond
dispute, and also show that the ancient Church
of 'the Holy Trinity' still exists in the west-
ern edifice of Norman architecture, now known
in these latter times as the 'auld kirk'; and,
consequently, that in front of its altars, at its
EASTERN END, was the sacred locality select-
ed by Malcolm the Third and Margaret his
Queen, as the 'LOCUM SEPULTURAE REGIUM'
for Scotland.
The church at Dunfermline was founded by
Malcolm III. (Canmore) about the year 1075.
Being a Culdean establishment, it was dedi-
cated to 'The Holy Trinity', and was likewise
ordained to be the future place of royal se-
pulture for Scotland. This old church of
'The Holy Trinity' had at least two altars,
viz. - THE HIGH ALTAR and THE ALTAR OF
THE HOLY CROSS. These two altars, and these
two only, are all we find mentioned in ancient
deeds, charters, or other historical records, as
being in this church. Before 'THE HIGH ALTAR'
OF THIS CHURCH were interred, Edgar in 1107,
Malcolm Canmore, exhumed at Tynemouth
and deposited here about 1109, Alexander I.
in 1124, David I. in 1153, and Malcolm IV.
in 1165; and before 'THE ALTAR OF THE
HOLY CROSS' were interred, Margaret, Queen
of Malcolm Canmore, in 1093, and her three
sons, Princes Edward, Etholrade, & Edmund,
in 1093, 1094, and 1099 respectively. These
are well-ascertained facts, resting on undoubt-
ed authority. This church of 'The Holy
Trinity' was raised to the dignity of an abbey
by David I. and was consecrated in 1150.
The year 1250 introduces us to an entirely
new era in the history of the Dunfermline
Church. In 1250 a splendid new church, in
pointed gothic, with lantern tower, transepts,
and 'ladye aisle', was built to the east end
of the Church of 'The Holy Trinity', form-
ing along with it, and immense ecclestiastical
pile, stretching in length from east to west
276 feet. During the existence of this new
church, "a great manye altaris an chapils
were erected in it, alsa manye relicts, an ima-
ges, an picturs, ware adid for ye adoratione
of ye faithfull.' In 1250, the name 'Holy
Trinity', as applied to the old western por-
tion, became extinct. The old church of the
'Holy Trinity' this year became a noble ves-
tibule to the then new building joined to it on
the east, and from this period to the year
1560 was called "The Vestibule', sometimes
'The outer Church', and sometimes 'The Nave',
as by the force of circumstances it had actually
become. The new eastern edifice was very
frequently called the 'Qwere' (choir), and
sometimes 'The Psaltery', and the united
buildings were known by one name, viz. 'Dun-
fermline Abbacie'. In 1250 the old church of
'The Holy Trinity', now become the outer
church or nave, was dismantled of its religious
furniture, and the crosses, altars, images, and
relics were transferred to the new building,
where the daily services were now performed,
accompanied by a powerful organ, supposed to
have been the first introduced into public wor-
ship in Scotland. And in this same year (1250)
A NEW HIGH ALTAR was erected in it, in
'Supra Chori'. It was before this second site,
this new second High Altar, in the choir
of the eastern church, that the Earls, Ba-
rons, Burgesses, &c of the kingdom, swore
fealty to Edward I. on 22d July 1290. It
was to the south and west of this new second
High Altar where the remains of Alexander
III. were deposited in 1285, and near to the
same second High Altar the remains of Eliza-
beth, Queen of Robert Bruce, were interred
in 1327, and directly in front of it in 'Medio
Chori' were deposited the remains of the im-
mortal hero of glorious memory, King Robert
Bruce, in 1329. The pulpit of the present
modern church stands precisely on the site of
this second high altar. Hitherto historians
have made sad blunders when describing the
royal tombs; hitherto, they have always spoken
of one high altar only, and thus making it ap-
pear as if the whole of the royal remains were
deposited before or around the same altar on the
same site. Henceforward, therefore, let it be
known, that Dunfermline Church had TWO
HIGH ALTARS, at TWO DIFFERENT PERIODS,
and on TWO DISTINCT and DISTANT SITES, viz.
- From 1075 to 1250, the high altar was in
the Church of 'THE HOLY TRINITY;' and
from 1250 to 1560, the second high altar was
in the New Church on the east, finished in 1250.
Since the discovery of King Robert the
Bruce's remains on 17th February, 1818, the
site of the second high altar has been known
without the possibility of a doubt. Fordun,
in the Scotichron, xiii 13, says, that King
Robert Bruce 'was interred at the monastery
of Dunfermline, in the middle of the choir, with
due honour; and again, in Scotichron, xiii 20,
&c, we find that King Robert was magnifi-
cently interred under the high altar of the
church at Dunfermline; and Barbour says he
lies 'in a fayr tumb intil the quer.' There-
fore, the precise spot where King Robert lies
being known, it will be evident from the fore-
going that this spot where he lies is in the
MIDDLE OF THE CHOIR, under or before the
HIGH ALTAR. As before noted, the site of
this second high altar was on the site of the
present pulpit: King Robert lies a few feet
to the west of it. Previous to 1818 there was
a raised place at this spot, a kind of raised
dais with a few steps in front - the second high
altar stood on it. Since the site of the second
high altar has been determined by the tomb of
Bruce in 1818, let us now determine the sites
of THE OLD or FIRST HIGH ALTAR, and ALTAR
OF THE HOLY CROSS, in the Church of 'THE
HOLY TRINITY'. It is evident, in the first
place, we must settle beyond depute THE SITE
of this Church of 'THE HOLY TRINITY.'
The following historical facts are well known,
but have never before been brought to bear
on the question. 'Where was the site of the
Church of the Holy Trinity at Dunfermline?
The followings proofs will shew, and for ever
set at rest, that the Church of the Holy Tri-
nity at Dunfermline, founded about 1075, the
place of original sepulchre of royalty, still
exists, and is the same building now called
'The Auld Kirk'.
PROOF 1st, That the western part of Dun-
fermline Abbey, now called 'The Auld Kirk'
is the original church of 'The Holy Trinity,'
the place of royal sepulture from A.D. 1093 to
1250:-
Take a walk round this fine old building -
look at its splendid western door, massive
walls, semicircular arches, spiral and zigzag
circular columns, lofty vaulting, &c - in what
age did such a style of architecture prevail?
Its style is Norman; and we learn from his-
tory that the Norman style of building was
first introduced into Scotland shortly after
the conquest in the year 1066, and that such
a style prevailed comparatively for a short
time only; that in 1140 it was entirely unused,
and superseded by the light elegant Gothic.
It is known beyond all dispute, that the build-
ing at Dunfermline commonly called 'The
Auld Kirk' is of NORMAN ARCHITECTURE;
hence, it must have been erected between the
years 1066 and 1140; - we find no Norman
erections in Scotland after 1140. 'The Auld
Kirk' is therefore the original church of 'The
Holy Trinity', founded by Malcolm III. and
Margaret, his queen, about the year 1075, and
in which we must seek the 'Locum Sepulturae
Regium', or place of royal sepulture, from
1093 to 1250.
Proof 2D, That the western part of Dun-
fermline Abbey, now called 'The Auld Kirk'
is the original church of 'The Holy Trinity',
the place of royal sepulture from 1093 to
1250:-
As before noted, the Church of 'The Holy
Trinity' at Dunfermline was consecrated in
the year 1150; also, that in 1250 a splendid
new church was built to its walls on the east,
the united building, forming an immense edi-
fice, was called 'Dunfermline Abbey.' In
1249-50, Robert of Keldeleth, Abbot of Dun-
fermline, applied to Pope Innocent IV. for
permission to consecrate his new church. The
Pope refused the Abbot's request - mark well
what follows - because the old walls of the
consecrated church of 'THE HOLY TRINITY'
were still standing, and had been made to join
and unite with the new church on the east;
therefore the Pope did not think it necessary
that it should be consecrated. From this little
incidental notice we learn, 1st, That the
Church of 'The Holy Trinity' at Dunfermline
was in existence in 1250; 2d, that it had been
joined to and made to unite with the walls of
the new church then built on the east of it.
Now, we find this Church of 'The Holy Tri-
nity' was standing in 1250 forming the western
portion of Dunfermline Abbey. This Church
of 'The Holy Trinity' was Norman in its
architecture - and as no Norman edifice was
built in Scotland for a hundred years prior to
1250, it is evident that this Norman building
is the same Church of 'The Holy Trinity'
built about 1075. This same Norman edifice
stands just in the same place, and has long
been called 'The Auld Kirk' and is now serv-
ing a second time the purpose of a vestibule,
outer church or nave to the modern church of
1818 on the east. And as the original Church
of 'The Holy Trinity' is identical with 'the
Auld Kirk' of the present day, it is therefore
at the east end of this auld kirk that we will
find the LOCUM SEPULTURAE REGIUM from
1093 to 1250.
Proof 3D, That the western part of Dun-
fermline Abbey, now called 'The Auld Kirk,'
is the original church of 'The Holy Trinity,'
the place of royal sepulture from 1093 to
1250:-
Both Fordun and Winton give full particu-
lars of 'the translation of St Margaret in
1250.' In this year Margaret, queen of Mal-
colm Canmore, was canonized, and it was re-
solved that 'her precious remains' be ex-
humed and deposited 'in a more honourable
place' in the then newly erected edifice. The
remains of St Margaret were accordingly ex-
humed from the spot before the altar of the
'HOLY CROSS,' in the church of 'THE HOLY
TRINITY,' where they had lain for 157 years,
and taken to and deposited in a splendid tomb
in the 'Ladye Aisle' of the new building.
The plinth stones of this tomb are still to be
seen (now) in the open air east end of the pre-
sent church. Hence it is well known where St
Margaret's remains were TAKEN TO, but no his-
torian ventures to state where they were TAKEN
FROM, or in other words, they have failed to
point out THE SITE OF HER FIRST RESTING-
PLACE. This will appear the more astonish-
ing when we find both Fordun and Winton
almost defining the very spot! The follow-
ing had hitherto been entirely overlooked in
connection with the first and second graves of
St Margaret:- Fordun, vol. [volume] 2d, p. [page] 83, and
Tytler, in the 2d vol. [volume] of his History of Scot-
land, pp. [pages] 375-6, says, 'The body of St Mar-
garet WAS REMOVED with much ecclesiasti-
cal pomp from the OUTER CHURCH WHERE
SHE WAS ORIGINALLY INTERRED, to the choir
near the High Altar. The procession of
priests and abbots, who carried the precious
load on their shoulders, moved along to the
sounds of the organ and the melodious songs
of the choir, singing in parts.' Here we have
the name, 'OUTER CHURCH' (which implies
that the eastern part was the INNER CHURCH,)
and, as previously mentioned, the old church
of 'the Holy Trinity' became, and was used
as an 'OUTER CHURCH' or vestibule to the
new edifice adjoining on the east, when it
was opened in 1250. Hence, St Margaret
was exhumed and TAKEN from THE OUTER
CHURCH, which has been shown to be 'the
Auld Kirk' of the present day. It is there-
fore evident that St Margaret was first in-
terred somewhere about the south end of
the old graditorium - the flight of old steps
immediately as we ascend from the auld kirk
into the present new building. These raised
steps is 'the graditorium of oulde', a little to
the east of which in the olden time stood THE
FIRST HIGH ALTAR, and in front, most pro-
bably between, or vicinity of the spiral and
zig-zag columns [in] the east end, stood in rows,
the tombs of royalty, which were all swept
away in March [1560]. In ancient times, in
'the days of the Abbey', the south aisle of the
auld kirk was called 'THE ROOD AISLE', im-
mediately above was the Rood loft (or 'laft'.)
It is therefore very probable that the Altar
of 'THE HOLY CROSS,' which also means HOLY
ROOD ALTAR, or [in] the orthography of old Win-
ton, 'Rwde Awtare', stood somewhere about
the east end of 'the rood aisle,' south end of
the old graditorium; and here undoubtedly
were interred the remains of St Margaret in
1093. It may be here noted, that on this old
graditorium the 'worshipers in the olden time'
used to kneel and cross themselves before the
High Altar, and in the immediate vicinity of
which was 'LOCUM SEPULTURAE REGIUM' from
1083 to 1250.
PROOF 4th, That the western part of Dun-
fermline Abbey now called 'the Auld Kirk',
is the original church of 'the Holy Trinity'
- the place of royal sepulture:-
Winton, in noting 'the translation of St
Margaret', makes use of a word which at once
shows that the outer church of Fordun is the
opposite of the '[bene]' of Winton, or in other
words, bene, as used by Winton, signifies
INNER - THE INNER CHURCH. Speaking of
taking up the body of St Margaret 'the haly
queene', Winton in his Orygynale Cronykil
of Scotland, vol. [volume 1] page 380, says:-
'Hyr cors [thai tuk] wp, and bare BENE.'
To understand '[bene]' , let us take up a posi-
tion near the east end of the 'Auld Kirk', and
we will at once see how naturally Old Winton
speaks, whilst [defining] this locality viz.-
They took the body out of the grave in the
EAST END of ' THE AULD KIRK', and carried it
Bene through the new building of 1250 -
through the new [choire], and deposited it in the
lady aisle at the [east] end. The new church
of 1250 was by far the most elegant portion of
the edifice. Bene [or] ben, is a very significant
homely Scotch word and means the best apart-
ment of the house -- 'BUT' is a secondary or
inferior apartment to a BENE. Margaret was
taken - not 'BUT', she was taken BENE to the
best place, or as Fordun expresses it, 'to a si-
tuation contiguous to the High Altar, esteemed
the most sacred and honourable, where the
solemn services were daily performed'. The
words of Winton and Fordun may be joined
together and made [to] explain without a con-
tradiction:- viz. they took the body of St
Margaret from the OUTER CHURCH (or Auld
Kirk), where she was originally interred, and
BARE HER BENE through the new choir, to her
new grave in the lady aisle.
PROOF 5th That the western part of Dun-
fermline Abbey, now called the 'THE AULD
KIRK', is the original Church of the 'THE
HOLY TRINITY', the place of Royal Sepulture,
from 1093 to 1250:-
At the commencement of this paper notice
was taken of the traditional site of the royal
tombs under the large flat stones in the north
transept of the present modern church, and
that it had no connection whatever with the
Royal place of Sepulture. This will at once
become evident, after reading and considering
the following :--
As has been noted the plinth stones of the
second tomb of St Margaret are still to be
seen (now in the open air), at the east end of
the present church. St Margaret was taken
from her first tomb, before the ALTAR of THE
HOLY CROSS, in the Church of THE HOLY
TRINITY, and deposited in this spot, let us
measure the distance from these stones of St
Margaret's tomb to the traditional royal bu-
rial place, under the floor of the north tran-
sept of the present church, the distance is 58
feet, which is the distance St Margaret would
be carried by 'the procession' at her transla-
tion (on the supposition that the traditional
site is correct) which we will shew it is not;
for on the occasion of 'the translation' of St
Margaret 'a great multitude' congregated
and took part in 'the procession of the trans-
lation', and as has already been noticed (in
proof 3d) - this 'great multitude' went along
keeping step with the sounds of the organ,
and the melodious songs of the choir, singing
in parts - all this implies that St Margaret
wes carried a considerable distance. How
could 'a great multitude' walk in procession
and keep step in a space or distance of 58 feet?
It is altogether impossible; moreover, it is like-
wise as impossible to conceive or understand
'THE OUTER CHURCH' of Fordun, or the BENE
of Winton, from this traditionary place.
Therefore let this traditionary spot be hence-
forth and for ever rejected as being the ori-
ginal 'Locum Sepulturae Regium', or Royal
Burial Place. Let us leave this traditional place
and proceed to the east end of the 'Auld Kirk',
THE OUTER CHURCH, and measure the distance
from the foot of the graditorium or old High
Inner Altar steps, BENE, through the present new
church, through the session-house to the plinth
stone of St Margaret's Shrine, and we will find
the distance 175 feet - sufficient for a proces-
sion of at least 200 persons three-a-breast, as
was often the case in religious processions of
old. This distance of 175 feet is amply suffi-
cient for the 'great company' walking in pro-
cession, as noticed in Winton's rhyme. Speak-
ing of the 'multitude' assembled to take part
in the translation, he says -
'The Thryd Alysaundyr bodyly
Thare wes wyth a gret companye
Of Eryls, Byschapys, and Barounys,
And mony famous persownys;
Of Swynt Andrewys there wes be name
The Byshope Davy of Barnhame
Robert of Kyldeleth syne
That Abbot wes of Dunfermlyn.'
WINT. CHRON. SCOT. [WINTON'S CRONYKIL OF SCOTLAND] vol. [volume] 1. p. [page] 380.
Here we find Alexander III. in person at the
translation, with his Earls, Barons, Bishops,
and other 'great personages.' Such a pro-
cession marshalled in the present Auld Kirk
would have ample room for a 'grate multitude'
to march along and keep step with 'the sounds
of the organ and the melodious songs from
the choir;' but, as before observed, it would
be very ridiculous to uppose such a large pro-
cession with a distance of only 58 feet 'to walk
and keep step'. Hence, collating all the facts
and other particulars, and carefully comparing
them, we come to the conclusion, that the
Norman Church of the present day was the
Norman Church of 1075; that in 1250 it was
joined to the then new edifice on the east;
that THE OUTER CHURCH of Fordun and the
BENE of Winton are quite significant and ex-
pressive of the locality at the east end of the
Auld Kirk; also compare the 58 feet before
noted with the distance of 175 feet from this
OUTER CHURCH to the tomb of St Margaret.
All these show that our present 'AULD KIRK'
is as old as the year 1075, that it is the origi-
nal church which was dedicated to 'THE
HOLY TRINITY,' and consequently at its EAST
END stood 'THE HIGH ALTAR' and 'THE
ALTAR OF THE HOLY CROSS,' and before
these altars the royal remains were deposited
between 1093 and 1250, after which later date
the royal remains were deposited in the New
Church on the east, before the SECOND HIGH
ALTAR erected there, showing two distinct
sites where the remains of royalty were un-
doubtedly deposited between 1093 and 1329;
and perhaps we might reckon a third, if not a
fourth site, if we include St Margaret's tomb
(for here the remains of Malcolm and Mar-
garet were deposited), and the tomb or vault
built by James VI. in which his son was in-
terred when he resided in the neighbouring
palace,
PROOF 6th, That the western part of Dun-
fermline abbey, now called 'THE AULD
KIRK' is the original church of THE HOLY
TRINITY, is the place of Royal Sepulture
from 1093 to 1250:-
In September, 1849, whilst some digging
and repairs were being made in the floor
pavement of 'THE AULD KIRK,' near the
'EAST END,' in the vicinity of the Graditori-
um or Old Altar Steps, at the ornamental
columns before alluded to, two remarkable
stone coffins were found; one contained a
prepared leathern skin or shroud which had
been wrapped round the body in mummy
fashion, laced on the breast, and closely
stitched with a strong thong on the back from
the neck to the heels, and along the soles of
the feet; within were found the fragments of a
bone and a little hair of a dark colour: the
other stone coffin contained large and unde-
cayed bones. These stone coffins were found
in the very locality we have pointed out in
'the proofs,' viz:- in 'THE AULD KIRK, at
its EASTERN END; and it is evident from what
Winton says, that this spot, where the coffins
were found, was in front of the Altar of the
Holy Cross - (The Rwde Awtre, i.e. the Rood
Altar), and no doubt they contained the re-
mains of Princes Edward and Ethelrede, sons
of Malcolm and Margaret, who were interred
near their mother, in front of this altar. This
is another convincing and satisfactory proof of
this place being the site or locality of the ori-
ginal LOCUM SEPULTURAE REGIUM. Winton,
speaking of Malcolm, Margaret, Edward, and
Ethelrede, says,
Be-for the Rwde Awtare, wyth honoure,
SCHO was layd in haly sepulture,
Thare hyre LORD was laid alsua,
And wyth thame hyre sownnys twa,
Edward the fyrst, and Ethelrede.
WIN. CRON. SCOT. [WINTON'S CRONYKIL OF SCOTLAND] vol. [volume] 2. pp. [pages] 271-2.
As before noted, the plinth stones of the
once celebrated shrine of St Magaret are
still to be seen - now in the open air - at the
east end of the church. This spot marks the
site of 'the Ladye Ayle' in 'Supra majus al-
tare,' i.e. the Lady Aisle above the great high
altar. On the upper plinth stone are eight
slight circular hollows. The same vague tra-
dition which has so long pointed to the six
large flat gravestones in the north transept of
the present church as being the place of the
royal tombs, comes to this stone and informs
us that these circular indentations mark the
places whereon candlesticks stood with their
wax-lights, which were kept perpetually burn-
ing on this tomb! We must again reject this
tradition, and point out the origin of these
eight circles. The origin is very simple, viz. -
they are merely the marks of the base of eight
slender columns which once supported the
canopy of the shrine erected over the tomb.
Here tradition forgets that charters and
deeds never make mention of CANDLESTICKS,
but merely lights, not kept burning on, but
always 'BEFORE the shrine of the blessed
Margaret in the choir.' King Robert the
Bruce gave a church to the Abbey for the
purpose of supporting 'a burning and perpe-
tual light BEFORE (not on) the tomb of the
blessed Margaret,' &c. This same tradition
is active in another place not far distant, and
we fear is in error a third time, viz. - tradi-
tion says that the site of the thorn tree in the
centre of the north churchyard marks the
grave of the mother of Sir William Wallace.
This is a pleasing idea, but has no other sup-
port than this vague tradition. And when we
find tradition walking over these sacred pre-
cincts, making so many serious errors, we
must be cautious in receiving what it says here,
even although it may be 'old and pleasing.'
We rather incline to think that the thorn tree
in the north churchyard is merely the site of
Dunfermline Abbey 'Sepulchral Cross,' or
'Weeping Cross.' Such crosses were quite
common before the Reformation in 1560; at
this period they were all swept away, and the
'Gospel tree,' or 'Gospel thorn,' planted on
their site. In the olden times, persons of
mark were never buried in northern church-
yards. Such was set aside 'for the very
poor and the unknown,' hence we cannnot al-
low ourselves to think, that the renowned
WALLACE would bury his mother in such a
place. If buried in Dunfermline, we may rest
assured that her remains lie in 'an honourable
place,' with 'the great and good,' in quite a
different place.
At the reformation in 1560, Dunfermline
Abbey and its shrines, tombs, crosses, relics,
and images, were destroyed, and the greater
part of the buildings razed to the ground.
Lindsay in his Chronicle, vol. [volume] 2d, p. [page] 555, says
'upon the 28th March 1560, the wholl lordis
and barnis that war on thys syde of Forthe,
passed to Stirling, and be the way kest doun
the Abbay of Dunfermling.' 'The lordis and
barnis' were armed with a general order or
warrant, which in 'their mistaken zeal' they
appear faithfully to have done 'their taske til
ye leter,' viz. -
'To our traist friendis, - Traist friendis, after
maist harty commendation, we praye you to fail
not to pass incontinent to the Kirk of Dunferm-
line and tak doun the hail imagis thereof, and
bring them forth to the kirkyard, and burn them
openley, and sicklyk cast doun the altaris and
purge the kirk of all kynd of monumnetis of
idolatrye. And this ye fail not to do as ye will do
us singulare emplesair, and so commitis you to
the protection of God. (Signed) 'AR. ARGYDE.
JAMES STEWART.
RUTHVEN.'
'Fail not, bot ye tak guid heyd that neither the
dasks, windocks nor durris be ony wayis hurt or
broken, either glassin wark or iron wark.'
The following is a tabular view of the royal
interments in Dunfermline Abbey:-
KINGS.
Duncan II -- 1095
Edgar -- 1107
Malcolm III -- 1109
Alexander I -- 1124
David I -- 1153
Malcolm IV -- 1165
Alexander III -- 1285
Robert Bruce -- 1329
QUEENS.
Margaret -- 1093
Isabella -- 1120
Margaret -- 1274
Elizabeth -- 1327
Annabella -- 1403
PRINCES.
Edward -- 1093
Ethelrade -- 1097
Edmond -- 1099
Alexander -- 1280
David -- 1280
Robert -- 1602
PRINCESSES.
Christina -- 1356
Matildas -- 1366
for the above - vide Fordun, Barbour,
Boece, Winton, Hail's Annals of Scotland,
Abercrombie's Mart. Acts [Martial Achievements], Saxon Chron. [Chronicle]
Chron. Melros. [Chronicles of Melrose], Chron. [Chronicles] de Lanercost, Hay's
Sacra Scotia, Carte de Dunf. [Dunfermline], &c. &c. &c.
Several of the above interments are
recorded in history, without specifying the
exact place, or before which altar; in such
cases the sites are left to conjecture. But we
may safely conclude that the following royal
remains were deposited at the East end of 'the
Auld Kirk' in the vicinity of the ornamental
columns, viz. - DUNCAN, EDGAR, MALCOLM III.
ALEXANDER I. DAVID I. and MALCOLM IV.
with Queens MARGARET,consort of Malcolm
III. ISABELLA, Queen of Alexander I. MAR-
GARET, Queen of Alexander III. also, Princes
EDWARD, ETHELRADE, EDMOND and ROBERT;
these were all interred in the church, of 'the
Holy Trinity,' which has been shown to be
'the Auld Kirk;' and in the New Eastern
Church, opened in 1250, lie interred ALEXAN-
DER III. ROBERT the BRUCE; with Queens
ELIZABETH, consort of Robert Bruce, and
ANNABELL, Queen of Robert III.
Besides the royal interments, Dunfermline
has in keeping the ashes of men who were
'great in their generation and men of renown.'
The following are a few of the most conspiciu-
ous, viz. -
Malcolm, Earl of Fife; Andrew, Bishop of
Caithness; the Earl and Countess of Athol;
Thomas Randolph; Earl of Moray (the great
Randolph of Bannockburn renown, he lies not
far from St Margaret's tomb); Robert, Duke
of Albany, Governor of Scotland; Robert
Henryson, 'poet and schoolmaster of Dun-
fermling;' Robert Pitcairn, Secretary of
State; David Ferguson, (Dunfermline's first
Protestant minister), William Schaw, 'Maister
of the Wark' (to the Abbey); Elizabeth Ward-
law, authoress of the celebrated poem, 'Hardy
Canute;' Ralph Erskine; Rev. [Reverend] Thomas Gil-
lespie, &c. Well may the City of Dunferm-
line be proud of having the ashes of so many
of the great and good in keeping.
In conclusion, it may be remarked that the
Abbey of Dunfermline, after its destruction
on 28th March 1560, lay long in ruin. The
western part, which seems to have entirely
escaped the wild fury of 'the Reformers' in
1560, was repaired and fitted up as a Protes-
tant place of worship about 1562, and again in
1598-1603, by James VI. when it underwent
extensive repairs. In 1816 this old church
was so uncomfortable and ill adapted for wor-
ship, that it was determined to have a new
building erected on the east, as had been done
before in 1250. A new church was accordingly
founded in 1818, and opened for public worship
in the end of 1821, which bears no resemblance
to its magnificent predecessor; and as already
noticed, 'the Auld Kirk,' the original church of
'the Holy Trinity' has since 1821 been serving
a second time as an outer church or nave to a
second eastern edifice.
At a comparatively small cost a neat column
might be erected at the east end of the Old
Church, on the steps of its ancient Gradito-
rium, with an inscription telling the visitor
that here and around this sacred spot was the
original 'Locum Sepulturae Regium,' from
1093 to 1250, and that here were interred the
following Kings, Queens, &c. &c.; and di-
rectly in front of the pulpit of the new church
another column indicating that here and around
this spot were interred, &c. &c. If this was
done we would hear no more unpleasant re-
flections about the royal tombs: Dunfermline
would in future be exonerated from blame and
apparent apathy respecting them, and the sa-
cred building would command the proper res-
pect and reverence of the passing traveller.

Transcriber's notes

Words lost in page damage
See "The Royal Tombs of Dunfermline" by E. Henderson - http://www.royaldunfermline.com/Resources/royal_tombs.pdf

Also on this page, but not transcribed, information on The Evangelical Alliance, Fife Temperance Agency, Commissioners of Police, Working-Men's Reading and Refreshment Rooms, Musical Examination, and Summary Trials.