Description

Late 17th century and later. Stepped ashlar-coped rubble enclosing walls to E (Upper) and W (Lower) of Church Wynd. Many finely carved 17th and 18th century headstones, some re-used in 19th century, and mural monuments.

Pair of tall corniced, square-section monuments at entrance with carved friezes and formerly with swagged urn finials, that to W erected 1796 by James Tod to the memory of his parents, that to E commemorating 'Eustatia Harriet Shairp Eldest Daughter of William Shairp Esq Collector of Customs At This Port Who died 15 May 1828 Aged Sixteen Years'.

Mural monuments to E wall (some badly eroded) include 1743 aediculed stone with Doric pilasters bearing relief carved arrow, scythe and spade flanking eroded panel with 'RENEWED 1874' over relief with 'MEMENTO MORI' and skull and bone, all surmounted by swan-neck pediment broken by angel's head. Further aediculed monument with barley-twist columns, frieze flanked by angel heads and segmental pediment bearing cartouche surmounted by 'Greenman', later inscription to Andrew Milne 1817 and Mary Learmonth 1832. Monument with segmental pediment dated 1722 with skull and crossed bones to left and angel to right over barley-twist columned aedicule, now with inscription 'This is the Burying Ground of John Burnett Lockmaker Bo'ness'

Gravestones predominantly of 17th and 18th century with many fine relief carvings of sailing ships, mariners instruments, emblems of mortality, various other trades emblems and later inscriptions, including headstone with tri-lobed top dated 1687 and carved with relief of 2 floating angels holding crown over figure climbing out of coffin (E) and angel of the Resurrection holding book and trumpet and trampling on skull and hourglass (W), inscription to Peter Steven and Isobel Maltman. Later plain small granite stone 'Erected by The Sea Box Socy In Memory of Capt John Ritchie who was Boxmaster for Many Years Died 1783'. 1838 memorial to 'Capt James Mackay Treasurer of the Friendly Society of Borrowstouness' with relief carved sailing ship, sextant and anchor

Statement of Interest

The graveyards flanking Church Wynd originally formed the burying ground of the former Bo'ness Old Kirk. The shore road often flooded at 'Corbie's Point', so Church Wynd was built during the 18th century at the Duke of Hamilton's request. The subsequent division of the burying ground led to the custom for people from Bo'ness to be buried in the Lower (W) ground and those from the Kinneil Estate in the Upper (E) ground. Owing to the parish church at Kinneil being some distance from the expanding seaport of Ness, a church was built at Corbiehall in 1634. The congregations were served by the minister from Kinneil until 1649 when Bo'ness was erected into a full charge. In 1669 an Act was passed declaring the church to be the 'Kirk of the Barony of Kinneil and Borrowstouness'. This Act suppressed the church of Kinneil and its parish and tiends were transferred to Bo'ness. The Duke of Hamilton added an aisle in 1672, the church was rebuilt in 1775 and again in 1820. Sold to the Episcopal Church in 1887, and subsequently to a private company, the building was converted to the Star Cinema by Matthew Steele in 1915, with the addition of an early Modern Movement façade. By 1964 the building was in use as a bingo hall, and was sold for conversion to a store and private dwelling during the 1990s.

Category changed from B to A, 31 March 2004.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q15106440

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6