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The Watson Ring Stone
This page was last updated on 06 December 2025

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Watson Ring Stone  

 
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The Watson Ring Stone is what is known as a “flat through stone”, a tombstone that is usually mounted on the floor above a burial vault. Flat Through Stone, mounted upon the West wall of the South Transept at Corstorphine Old Parish Church, featuring the Watson and Douglas arms, the initials of James Watson, Jean Douglas his wife, and Ezekiel Chapter 37 Verse 5.

M
I W

(Watson and Douglas arms displayed side by side in a Per Pale pattern)

I D

He died the 1 May 1620 (What looks like a masons mark, perhaps a crude square & compass or initials A V)

Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones behold I will cause breath to enter into yow and ye shall live and I will lay sinews upon yow and will bring up flesh upon yow and cover yow with skin and put breath in yow and yow shall live and ye shall know that I am The Lord - Ezekiel 37 Chap 5 Verse

It’s a wonder that the condition of this stone is so good. It clearly wasn’t on a well walked area of the floor, and if installed in 1620, or shortly following, it survived occupation of the Church by both General Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven and his army in defence of Edinburgh, and subsequent occupation by the soldiers of Oliver Cromwell.

Comment:
I am not convinced that the clearly visible D has an 'I' with it.  Other sources say that the couple are James Watson and Anna Douglas.




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Source

 

Sources for this article include:
  • Scott J. Watson


    • Any contributions will be gratefully accepted





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    Last modified: Sunday, 08 March 2026