Information sheet

Hugh and his brother fought at the Battle of Largs.

Hugh fought at the Battle of Largs. Other than that, little is known of him.

Wife of 12th Earl of Home

Detail from the window in the south wall

Detail from the window in the south wall

The inscription reads: In memory of Lucy Douglas Douglas of Douglas, Countess of Home, born 1805 dies 15th May 1877 placed by her son Charles 12th earl of Home.

Below the tomb are stone carving representing their 10 children, 6 sons and 4 daughters: William, James, Archibald, Hugh, John, Henry, Margaret, Beatrix, Janet and Elizabeth.

Beatix Sinclair was daughter of Henry, Earl of Orkney

Beatrix is depicted on the left. The earl is depicted on the right.

The tomb is double width to accommodate both effigies. As a result, there is a protrusion on the outside wall.

An ornate stone arch is formed over the effigies, and above it is this shield carved with the Douglas coat of arms showing 3 mullets and heart of Douglas, 3 mullets in triangular form for Bothwell, the upright lion for Galloway and the criss-cross for Annandale. Surmounting this is a helmet with a peacock. To the left of the shield is a panel depicting a warroir savage and on the right side is a blank which might originally have been another warrior or perhaps a deer.

The inscription reads: In memory of Lady Jane Douglas Stuart died 1753 and her son Archibald, 1st Baron Douglas of Douglas died 1827 placed by their descendant Charles 12th Earl of Home 1901.

Lady Jane was the subject of the much debated 'Douglas cause'.

The inscription reads: In memory of Jane Margaret Douglas of Douglas, Lady Montagu 1859 placed by her grandson Charles 12th Earl of Home, second baron Douglas of Douglas, 1801

The inscription reads: Charles XII Earl of Home in memory of his grandfather Cospatrick XI earl 1881

He was alos 2nd Duke of Touraine, Earl of Wigton and Longueville, Lord of Galloway.

The figures below the tomb are thought to be religious people rather than his family. The missing space may have been a coat of arms. On buttresses are pedastals for 6 small statues, though 3 of them are missing. The 3 that are present represent religious figures.

This is a robed figure, kneeling in prayer. Above the figure is a scroll, no longer legible, and a shield which may once have depicted the arms of Touraine, Douglas, Galloway and Annandale.

It was Sir James Douglas who carried the heart of Robert the Bruce to the Holy Land, but died along the way at Teba, in Spain. This tomb was built between 1389 and 1395.

When the tomb was opened in about 1880, no bones were found. It is thought that they may have been laid beneath the alter.

A coat of arms can be seen above the tomb.

It is thought that the damage may have ben caused by Cromwell's troops during the seige of Douglas Castle.

His feet rest on a lion.

Born 1805, died 1877, this wondeful piece of craftsmanship shows a striking likeness of the Countess.

Seen here, with the tomb of the Good Sir James behind.

The countess was wife to Cospatrick, 11th Earl of Home, and mother to Charles, 12th earl.

On the left is said to be the heart of the Good Sir James, though it seems unlikely as only his bones reportedly were brought back from Spain.

On the right is the heart of Archibald, Bell the Cat, Douglas, 5th earl of Angus.

Archibald died in Whithorn and was buried there in 1513. the casket is lead, and said to be lined in silver.

It is possible that the other heart is actually that of Archibald, 8th earl of Angus, who died in 1588.

The vault is on 2 layers, the lowest level being inaccessible. the upper layer was last opened in 2003.

It shows the impaled arms of James Douglas, 4th and last Lord Douglas of Douglas castle. He died in 1857.

The east wall

The oldest clock tower in Scotland, dating from the 16th century

The clock strikes 3 minutes ahead of time because a douglas is 'Jamias Arriere'!

Although the clock shows 12 midday, it was in fact 12:30! However, the clock had struck correctly at 3 minutes to midday. The caretaker was a trifle embarrassed.

This was the only Douglas memorial in the chuchyard that I was able to locate.

Heart and stars - in the church