Headstone of Earl Haig, Dryburgh Abbey is a Grade A listed building in the Scottish Borders local planning authority area, Scotland. First listed on 9 June 1971.

Headstone of Earl Haig, Dryburgh Abbey

WRENN ID
leaning-brick-saffron
Grade
A
Local Planning Authority
Scottish Borders
Country
Scotland
Date first listed
9 June 1971
Source
Historic Environment Scotland listing

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Description

The tomb of Sir Walter Scott (died 1832) and family members stands within the remains of the north transept of Dryburgh Abbey, which itself is a scheduled monument and excluded from this listing. The tomb is a plain, double chest-tomb constructed of polished red granite, bearing inscriptions of names and dates on its top surface. A slab stone memorial to Scott’s son, also Walter (died 1847), and his wife is located to the south. Further to the east is the tomb of Scott’s son-in-law and biographer, John Gibson Lockhart (died 1854), featuring a bronze cameo portrait.

To the south of the abbey, near the gatehouse, stands a King James obelisk dated 1794. This "needle" type obelisk has figurative carvings of King James I and King James II inset into two sides, a relief depicting the abbey's founder, Hugh de Moreville, on a third side, and a commemorative inscription on the fourth. The inscription credits David Steuart Erskine, Earl of Buchan, with commissioning the obelisk, and acknowledges George Burnet of Newstead for the carving work and D. Forson of Dryburgh for the lettering.

The headstone of Lord Earl Haig (died 1928) is situated within an enclosure defined by the surviving base course of the abbey transept. This simple rectangular memorial stone features regimental insignia insets, a cross, and inscriptions. His wife is buried alongside him with a similar stone, and further family members are interred within the enclosure.

A burial ground north of the abbey contains a collection of 17th and 18th century headstones adorned with carved figures holding books, along with various 18th, 19th, and 20th century memorials including numerous military graves. The Cross of Sacrifice memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield in 1918 and erected in 1929 following Earl Haig’s burial in 1928, features a stylised stone cross with an inset longsword. The inscription on its octagonal plinth states that the memorial is identical to those erected over the dead of Lord Haig’s armies in France and Flanders.

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Nearby listed buildings

  1. Tomb of Sir Walter Scott, Dryburgh Abbey Grade A 12 m
  2. Burial gorund, Dryburgh Abbey Grade A 17 m
  3. King James Obelisk, Dryburgh Abbey Grade A 98 m
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