In the spring of 2023 the members of the Biggar Archaeology Group with the support of Peeblesshire Archaeological Society and Scottish Borders Council surveyed Kirkurd Churchyard.
This survey data pdf (Kirkurd Churchyard report) has been combined with information from the pre-1855 Monumental Inscriptions in Peeblesshire by Sheila Scott, 1971. She notes that the church was built in 1766 to replace the earlier parish church, the site of which now lies within the gardens of the mansion of Castle Craig, now Castlecraig Hospital. (See previous BAG report). The headstones which are of earlier date were presumably removed from the old graveyard in or after 1766.
Included in this survey is a record of individual stones according to the Discovering England’s Burial Places (DEBS) guidelines.
The graveyard is guarded by a watch-house dated 1828. It was built to protect the graves from robberies in the days of Burke and Hare. This is described in the ‘Regulations adopted by the Members of the Kirkurd Society for Securing the Graves of their Friends’. It only makes reference to attempts at grave robbing. It goes on to state that in future all graves should be at least eight feet deep and coffins be capped with a mort safe. The records continued till 1870. This hand-written manuscript is kept in Biggar Museum.
The watch-house subsequently became a session house.
A photographic record of each stone is held in Biggar Museum.
