This page covers the burial area which is taken up by a group of stones, which represent the family of
Wedderburn. The family were very influential in the development of Dundee, details of which can be found
elsewhere on the net or from local resources. I may give a more detailed account of the family in the future.
Below is a thumbnail which links to a drawing of the plot as made in 1894.
Stones are numbered here as they are above, along with their 1834 chiselled number where available.
1 - 725
Monument inscription as it appeared in 1834.
Conditur Hoc Tumulo Alexander Wedderburn Dominus De Easter Powrie, Famille Su ę Princeps, Nuperrime
Huic Urbi Pręfectus, Ejuusdem Ad Parliamentum Primum Supremi Domini Nostri Regis Caroli II. Delegatus.
Orbiit I Die Aprilis Anno Domini 1638 ętatis 66. Hic Etiam Conquiescunt Ossa Elizabeth Ę Ramsay Illius Primi
Amoris Uxoris Fillię Unię Joannis Ramsay Fratris Domini De Murie Hujusque Urbis Olim Prętoris, Quę Obiit 2
Die Mensis Aprilis 1643 ętatis 22
This stone was said to of been first erected in 1626 to Alexander Wedderburn, first of Kingennie ( who married
Helen Ramsay ), and re-inscribed in 1683 on the death of his namesake and grandson, who had also married a
Ramsay, and to whom, therefore, the arms already on the Tomb were equally applicable.
The stone itself was still described as being partly legible in 1891 and in a ruinous condition. The stone originally
carried the arms of Wedderburn and Ramsay with heraldic roses as a border around the edge.
James Thomson described the stone as follows :-
"This has been a splendid tomb, and worthy of the ancient and honourable family whose
chief was laid under it;
but at present the upper surface is much decayed, being formed of Balgay stone, and rests upon several clumsy
stones by way of pillars, instead of the original finely-executed work, a specimen of which -one of the ends-
remains still beside it, which was dug up in 1834*. This specimen consists of a much injured figure of Death
endeavouring to extinguish a candle which represents human life, while Time is arresting his hand. The design is
taken from one of the hieroglyphics at the end of Quarles Book of emblems, but the execution of the stone is far
superior to the plate. On the latter the words "Tempus erit" -a time will come- are placed on escroll, instead
instead of which on the former there is "ane appointed time," which is the only deviation, saving the superior
workmanship, from the original design. The monument, according to the family archives, was originally erected in
the years 1626, over the remains of Alexander Wedderburn of Kingennie and his wife Helen Ramsay, daughter of
Mr Ramsay of Brachmont; and when their grandson, Provost Alexander Wedderburn of Kingennie and Easter
Pourie died in 1683, he and his wife Elizabeth Ramsay being both interred under it, the original inscription was
obliterated to make way for the present one, which is nearly effaced also. The arms sculptured on the upper
surface were allowed to remain, as the surnames of the gentlemen and their respective ladies were the same."
* The area around the tombs was levelled and cleaned up in this year.
Inscription on replacement monument.
( West Panel)
HERE REST
MANY OF THE HOUSE OF
WEDDERBURN
LONG EMINENT IN THIS BURGH
AMONG THEM THOSE
NAMED ON THIS MONUMENT
WHICH THEIR DESCENDANTS
RESTORED AND REBUILT
1893.
(South Panel)
NON DEGENER
ALEXANDER WEDDERBURN town clerk, 1557, D. 1585.
His son ALEXANDER op kyngany, B. 1561. D. 1626.
His son ALEXANDER, B. 1583. D. 1637.
M. 1612 MAGDALEN SCRYMGEOUR
THEIR SON ALEXANDER OF EASTER POWRIE SOMETIME PROVOST B. 1615 D. 1683
His son ALEXANDER B. 1643, D. 1692.
AND HIS SON
ALEXANDER of Wedderburn B. 1666, D. 1713
WHOSE SOLE SURVIVING CHILD
GRIZEL WEDDERBURN OF WEDDERBURN
B. 1705. D. 1778.
(North Panel)
JAMES second son to ALEXANDER of Kyngany
B. 1589 D. 1627
M. MARGARET GOLDMAN
Their son SIR ALEXANDER of Blackness KNt B. 1610, D. 1676.
M. MATILDA FLETCHER
Their sons JOHN, first baronet of Blackness, B. 1641 D. 1707
And JAMES B. 1649 D. 1696.
M. ELIZABETH DAVIDSON
Their son SIR ALEXANDER fourth baronet B. 1675. D. 1744
M. KATHARIN SCOTT
And their second son ROBERT of pearsie B. 1708. D. 1786
AQUILA NON CAPTAT MUSCAS
(East Panel)
LADY MARGARET OGILVY
B. 1748 D. 1775.
FIRST WIFE OF
SIR JOHN WEDDERBURN
OF BALINDEAN
SIXTH BARONET, B. 1729, D. 1803.
Son of SIR JOHN,
B. 1704. D. on KENNINGTON COMMON, 1746.
PRO REGE ET PATRIA.
2 - 812
The Wedderburn Book 1891 has the following entry
This is a plain marble slab now lying flat on the ground, but was originally raised on pillars. The date of the stone is
not certain, but the inscription on it is modern, the original having obliterated.
The original inscription is as follows :-
Hic Jacet D. Alexander Wedderburn, Dominus De Blackness, Civitatis Taodunanę Secretarius Dignissimus, Qui
Obiit 18 November 1676 ętatis SuAE 66.
The then modern inscription was taken as a rubbing in 1891, and is as follows :-
Beneath this stone are deposited the remains of
the following perfous
Viz:
James Wedderburn Esq.
who died 1620
and his wife Mary Goldman
Sr Alexander Wedderburn Bart
who died 1673 aged 63
and his Lady Dame Matilda Fletcher
Sr John Wedderburn Bart
Who died 1707
and his Lady Rachel Dunemoir
Sr Alexander Wedderburn Bart
who died 1713
and his Lady Elizabeth Seaton
Sr Alexander Wedderburn bart
who died and his Lady Catherine Scott
and
Robert Wedderburn Esqr
of Pearsie
who died the 19th day of February 1786 aged 78
To whose memory this tomb is erected
by his widow and family
also Isobell Edward spouse to
Robert Wedderburn who died the
? of January 1788 aged 70 years
The Wedderburn book contains some additional information with regards this inscription mainly the following...
Margaret and not Mary was the name of James Wedderburn`s wife; he did not die in 1620, but in 1627; his son,
Sir Alexander, was knighted, but was never a baronet, and he died in 1675-76 aged 66, and not in 1673 aged
63. His son, Sir John, died in 1706, not 1707, and his son again in Feb. 1710 and not in 1713, while the date of
death of his cousin, the fourth baronet, left blank on the stone, should be 1744.
3 - 810
This is the Tomb of Peter Wedderburn, third surviving son to Sir Alexander Wedderburn of Blackness knt, and
his wife Catherine Man or Mann.
This is a flat red marble slab, now worn and quite smooth, and cracked in several places, set in a stone frame,
bearing the initials P.W. and C.M. and a skull and cross bones.
4 - 815
This was a flat stone, engraved "AW. Insignium Virorum Tumulus Terra Universa."
This tomb was the resting place of Sir Alexander Wedderburn, fourth baronet of Blackness, who died in 1774.
5 - 723
This is the tomb of Charles Wedderburn of Pearsie and his first wife Anne Read.
This is a slab of Sicillian marble, and originally stood on six pillars. It was erected by Charles Wedderburn to his
first wife, who died 1789, and he had the inscription given below, but now obliterated, placed on it. When he
died, in 1829, he was buried in the same grave, but nothing was added to the tomb. The inscription was as
follows :-
Sacred to the memory of Ann Read
Daughter of John Read Esq of Cairney
Wife of Charles Wedderburn, Esq of
Pearsie. Married September 11th 1787,
who died November 20th, 1789.
Take, Holy earth, all that my soul holds dear,
Take that best gift which Heaven so lately gave.
She died. Does Youth, does Beauty read the line ?
Does sympathetic fear their breast alarm ?
Speak, dearest Anna, breathe a strain devine,
Even from the grave thou shalt have power to charm.
Bid them be chaste, be innocent like thee,
Bid them in duty`s sphere as meekly move;
And if so fair, from vanity as free,
As firm in friendship, and as fond in love;
Tell them, tho' 'tis an awful thing to die
(`Twas even to thee), yet the dread path once trod,
Heaven lifts its everlasting portals high,
And bids the pure in heart behold their God.
6 - 726
Tomb of Wedderburn of Idevies, erected by his wife Margaret Balfour.
This tomb was a plain slab which formally sat on six pillars. It once bore this inscription (which was obliterated by
1891) :-
I.M. Joannis Wedderburne M.D. ex famillia de Blackness oriundi viri artis medicę peritissimi comis et amabilis
omnibus virtute illustris, Margarita Balfour vidua męstissima in testimonium veri erga conjugem affectus
monumentum hoc extruxit. Orbiit 3 Julij 1751 ętatis 72.
To the memory of John Wedderburne, Doctor of Medicine,
descended from the family of Blackness, a most skillful physician, and a man
gentle and loving to all, and adorned with every virtue, Margaret Balfour, a
sorrowing widow, raised this monument as a testimony of true affection towards
her husband. He died 3rd July 1751, aged 72.
Source: The Book of the Howff, ©Libraries, Leisure and Culture
Dundee, Local History Centre & is
reproduced with kind permission.
7 - 811
This is the tomb of Lady Margaret Ogilvy, first wife of Sir John Wedderburn, sixth baronet of Blackness.
Details are as follows :-
This monument consists of a tall stone pillar standing on a large pedestal raised on two steps. One side of the
pedestal consists of a fine bas-relief by Schumacher, the tutor of Nolleken.
Inscribed as follows :-
Memorle sacrum dominę Margaretę Ogilvie, sponsę domini Joannis Wedderburn de Balindean militis baronetti,
obiit die XXIII Martii anno MDCCLXXV ętatis suę XXVII.
Sacred to the memory of Lady Margaret Ogilvie, wife of John Weddserburn of
Balindean, Knight Baronet, who died 23rd March 1775, and of her age 27.
The white marble had for some reason was originally painted with white lead
paint, the attempts to remove it by scrubbing the plaque and daubing it with
boiling turpentine has left it looking more like Aberdeen granite.
8 - 811/2
Tomb of Sir John Wedderburn who died 1803
Joannes Wedderburn de Balindean, sextus miles baro de Blackness, suę gentis ornamentum et non degener
princeps. Nat 21 Feb 1729. Ob 13 Junii 1803.
John Wedderburn of Ballindean, sixth Knight Baronet of Blackness, the
ornament of his family and an undegenerate Chief, was born 21st February 1729,
and died 13th June 1803.
9 - 724
Tomb of David Brisbane who died 1752, son of Mr James Brisbane and Matilda Wedderburn.
Details from 1891 are as follows :-
Stone slab, now lying on the ground, but originally on six pillars.
The Brisbane arms - a cheveron between three martlets or cushions - are carved in a medallion at the top, and
below and below was this inscription, no longer legible,
Here lies David Brisbane of Bullion, Esquire, Writer in Dundee, son to Mr
John Brisbane, Advocate, by his fathers' side of the Brisbane, and by his
mother's side of the Wedderburn family.
The useful, grave, and social virtues which adorned his character, made him
greatly valued in life, and much regretted at Death. He dyed a Bachelor, January
15th 1732. His only surviving sister and heir, Margaret, in testimony of her
affection caused this monument to be erected.
10 & 11
These two stones are marked J.W., and were put up by John Wedderburn of Auchterhouse.
|
