gb0551ms-36-17-23

Transcription

[Page] 23
[Continued from page 22]

31st May 1910.
Bicycled to Wick. Called on ex-baillie
Simpson & saw his querns etc. also on Rev.
[Reverend] Mr Beaton. Visited Lybater with the director
of the Lybster & Wick Railway traveling on the
engine with the secretary J. L. Smith, an old
friend. I made the acquaintance of J.
Harling Turner, the Duke of Portland's factor
at Langwell, & Mr King the sub-factor
who offered to give me every assistance
and put me up. I also saw various other
people who will be helpful. In the after:
:noon after our return I inspected the "font"
in Stirkoke garden.

[Margin] Old "font"
Stirkoke Ho. [House]

[Opposite Page]
13th June 1910. Today in ex-baillie Simpson's garden
I have seen two similar stone "basins" both of
which have been knocking troughs and I am
inclined to think that that at Stirkoke from its extreme
rudeness to have served a similar purpose. --

In the centre of the flower garden at Stirkoke
House, there stands a rudely shaped circular
block of sandstone having a deep basin
hollowed out of it on the top. The height
of the block is 1'.4", its circumference at top
6'.3" at base 5'. The diameter is 2' over
all across the basin and 1'.6" within it
There is no sign of ornament and the
edge of the basin is rounded . This stone
is said to have been found in the Haster
Ford of the Wick river near the ruins of
the ancient church of St. Mary and
to have been removed by a blacksmith to
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