Tolquhon Tomb and 17th/16th - century tombstones

Location

St. Englat’s Parish Kirk. Tarves
Tarves, Ellon, Aberdeenshire

OS Map Reference

NJ 869 313

Date

1589

Description

The Tolquhon Monument, built by Thomas Leper in 1589, of a chocolate- coloured sandstone, to commemorate William Forbes of
Tolquhon (perhaps to Forbes' design) and his wife Elizabeth Gordon, is supposed to be the relic of the S. aisle of the old kirk. Rich arched altar tomb mixed gothic and Renaissance motifs inspired by Dunbar tomb at St. Machar's, Cathedral.
It is somehow very Scottish in style.
Present pedimented setting probably of 1798. The monument is housed in a classical surround believed to be of 1798 in date, though a large porch has been erected by Historic Scotland consisting of sheets of perspex with bronze structural supports. The tombstone is remarkably well preserved with its representative figures, though the structure preserving it rather resembles a domestic green house.

Coats of arms as shown for William is 'Forbes quartered with Preston' and shown for his wife is 'Forbes impaled with Gordon'.
The charges on the shields show, heads of boars, unicorns and muzzled bears. The unicorns appear again at the top of the arch either side of the crown flanked by hounds hunting on the right a deer and on the left another animal I cannot definitely identify (perhaps a fox or martin).

Related Information

The old church is said to have been dedicated to St Englatius, a fictitious person whose name, according to Watson (W J Watson 1926), has been compounded from the Gaelic word oenglais, 'choicebrook'.
According to the Martyrology of Oengus, the Celtic founder of the church was St Murdebur or Muirdebar, who came from Leinster about the year 600. Tanglan's (St Englat's)Well is still shown near the church and on the River Ythan there is Tanglandford (St Englat's ford).
In the churchyard the original rubble masonry of the medieval church remains, though obscured by modern pointing, on either side of the Tolquhon monument which was built in 1589.
Four 17th century gravestones are set up against t he S wall of the present church.
W D Simpson 1948; W Stokes (ed.) nd; W J Watson 1926. (quoted from RCAHMS)

Other Tombstones : There are approximately 60 recumbent tombstones, one of which is significantly decorated. There are four, early and well carved, 17th/16th - century tombstones propped up against the S. façade.(see picture) There are many hundreds of upright tombstones dating from the early 18th -century, the most enchanting of which are to be found on the W. side of the yard - several being decorated with carved figures of children and popular phrases relating to death.

Era

1500s

Information Source

The Historic Kirkyards of Aberdeenshire A Survey Report, Aberdeenshire Council 1998, Listed building record, RCAHMS
and Stanley Bruce

Categories

• Important Historic
• Other Memorials and Grave Art
• Outsider Art and Folk Art
• Town Crosses, Fountains, Armorial, etc

Iconography

• animals in general
• crown
• dog or hound
• heraldic motifs
• human figure
• memento mori
• mythical or heraldic beast
• wild boar

Creator

• Thomas Leper, Sculptor

Photographer

• Stanley Bruce

Unavailable Data

• Related Artefacts
• External Links