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A simple site

Lindsay Burial Aisle was added to the south side of the medieval parish church of Edzell, dedicated to St Laurence, in about 1550. It was originally used as a chantry chapel, where Masses were held for the dead.

It was later adopted as a burial aisle for the Lindsay earls of Crawford, lairds of the nearby Edzell Castle.

Though the Lindsay Burial Aisle is a plain, rectangular building, it has some fine details, including:

  • a fine stone piscina, which was used for cleansing vessels used in Mass

  • a tomb recess, now lacking its stone effigy

  • a central boss carved in the form of four skulls in the burial vault below (not accessible to visitors)

Its arched opening to the north once gave access into the nave of the parish church.

It’s set in a burial ground that’s probably been in use for more than 1,000 years.

Weathered stone grave slab mounted on a wooden base and secured with metal brackets, featuring carved heraldic shields and partially legible inscriptions. The slab is cracked horizontally and vertically, with moss-covered stone walls in the background.

Statement of Significance

You can find out more about the Lindsay Burial Aisle in our Statement of Significance, part of a series of special documents outlining the history and development of Historic Scotland sites.

Read more
Rough-hewn red sandstone basin with a deep hollow interior, mounted on a sturdy wooden cross-shaped support. The basin sits on a stone floor against a moss-covered wall, suggesting historic use as a font or trough

Discover more on trove.scot

See archive photographs of the Lindsay Burial Aisle plus archaeology notes and more on trove.scot. 

Lindsay Burial Aisle on trove.scot