HEADSTONES IN ST. CUTHBERT'S

The oldest legible gravestone dates to 1630 and is inscribed as follows:- 'HERE LYETH THE CHILDREN OF WALTER KID MARCHANT  IN DUNLUCE BURGES OF IRVINE  MADE THIS STONE THE 12TH MARCH IN ANNO DOMIN 1630' , there are many other interesting headstones displaying 'coats of arms'. A story surrounds one of a John Scoby whose headstone bears round markings produced when a shotgun was fired at  grave robbers - whether they were trying to rob John Scoby's grave is not clear  -  it was normal practice to find people staying guard over newly buried relatives during times of high incidents of grave robbing, St.Cuthbert's had  many wealthy merchants laid to rest within its walls and combine with tales of Spanish sailor  may have made it a more attractive location for grave robbers. Another headstone mounted inside the church is  inscribed :-  ' HERE UNDER LYETH THE BODY  OF FLORENCE McPHILIP, ALIAS HAMILTON, LATE WIFE OF ARCHIBALD McPHILIP OF DUNLUCE, MERCHNT, AND DAUGHTER Of CAPTAINE ROBERT HAMILTON OF CLADY, WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE THE 20TH OF JULY 1974. 'DEATH CAN DISSOLVE, BUT NOT DESTROY, WHO SOWS IN TEARS SHALL REAP IN JOY''. The graveyard has many unmarked stones, some protrude through the thick grass cover like the tops of small standing stones. It is intriguing to think that some of these could mark the final resting place of members of the Spanish nobility. From medieval times, as the gravesite filled, burials would take place on top of other burials -  which is why we find uneven surfaces at ancient burial sites.