Kirkmadrine Stones

Situated close to our holiday let and under the care of Historic Scotland the stones are displayed in a glazed porch for all to see, with annotations describing the evolution of inscribed stones as Christianity grew in the country. The collection of early medieval carved stones from within and around the churchyard are some of the earliest Latin-inscribed stones discovered in Scotland, thought to date to the 6th century. 

These three are the earliest. Left to right:
Kirkmadrine 1, reads HIC IACENT S(AN)C(T)I ET PRAECIPUI SACER DOTES IDES VIVENTIUS ET MAVORIUS (‘Here lie the holy and chief priests, Ides, Viventius and Mavorius’).

Kirkmadrine 2 commemorates someone named Florentius.

Kirkmadrine 3 alludes to the Book of Revelation: ‘the beginning and the end’. It may not have been a burial marker and may instead have been located in a liturgical context in the church.

Unfortunately the glass caused reflections which made photography difficult. Extra photo of some later stones, a history of the site and context appears here. 

Unfortunately we could not stay long as we were on our way home, the wind was blowing a hoolie there and conditions on the route uncertain. As it happens, rain was light, the wind no worse, although our planned lunch stop at Moffat was impossible due to a road block on the A701 access - presumably a weather-related event -  resulting in a less relaxing stop at a very crowded Abington services. But we arrived home without incident.