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The Buchanan Memorial

This fenced-off memorial is located in the kirkyard of NS2684 : Rhu Parish Church. According to an inscription at the base of the arch, it is "sacred to the memory of James Buchanan Esquire of Craigend Castle, Stirlingshire, and previously of Ardenconnell in this parish, who died on the 21st Decr 1860 in the 86th year of his age, and of his wife Lady Janet Sinclair, daughter of James 12th Earl of Caithness, who died on the 24th Feb 1867 in the 83rd year of her age. Their son the Right Hon Sir Andrew Buchanan G.C.B. erected this monument and restored this portion of the wall of the old church as a memorial of his beloved parents, etc."

Although there are many interesting memorials in the churchyard, this particular one caught my attention because its arch appeared to be a fragment of another structure (as was confirmed by the inscription). In fact, it is piece of the wall from the predecessor of the present church.

For a view of the memorial from the other side, see NS2683 : The Buchanan Memorial.

The listed building report (see the end-note) points out that the present-day church, which dates from 1851, is the third one to stand on this site, and that a portion of the wall of the second church of Rhu, built in 1763, was preserved as a monument to James Buchanan of Craigend Castle, who died in 1860. That portion is the arched window shown in the present photograph.

For the carved figures, hands on hips, that can be seen at the extreme left of the present image, see NS2683 : Three sisters of Auchenvennel.