Local Events that happened during David Hume’s life
OUTSIDE GRAVE
In the year 1736 the Queen of George II made a Proclamation to be read in every Church in Scotland on Sundays for one year, anent bringing the murderers of Captain Porteous to justice.
William Hall of Whitehall on hearing this sent for the Rev. Abraham (George) Home, minister of Chirnside and told him if he would not read the Proclamation, he would give him a Bond for the amount of his stipend to be paid during his life, and upon Mr Home refusing, he said ”then I will never enter your church or churchyard living or dead” He left orders to be buried on his own ground to the East of the Churchyard, which was accordingly done.
Captain Porteous of Edinburgh City Guard, fired on a mob at an execution in Edinburgh in 1736, killing or wounding about thirty persons, for which he was imprisoned, tried and found guilty and sentenced to death, but later reprieved; he was however taken out of prison by some means and hanged by a number of persons, none of whom were captured, on 7th September 1736.
Note: As Chirnside churchyard has on several occasions been enlarged, it is almost impossible to locate where the old east wall stood, unless it was on the line of the modern path which runs North-South on the east side of the Church. If so then the “Outside grave” could have been situated anywhere in the present modern part to the new east wall or even beyond it.
Ref: Mr. James Watson’s History on the “Outside Grave” folio 11 no 36 at the Heritage Hub, Hawick
Illustration: The Porteous Mob – National Gallery of Scotland
Chirnside Church – From Postcard