templar_stone_in

THE AUTONOMOUS GRAND PRIORY OF SCOTLAND
SCOTTISH KNIGHTS TEMPLAR

TEMPLAR STONE IN EDINBURGH

In April 2013 at High School Yards just off Old Infirmary Street Edinburgh workmen came across a medieval burial site in a car park, the site was originally the property of the Blackfriars and was founded in the 13th century, during the dig the workmen came across several skeletons and one of them being a Knight. At the time of discovery they have not named what the stone represents but having seen this before it looks very much like a Knight Templars Stone, the carving depicts the Baculus that was a very cheap and effective weapon, the top part depicts the status of the Knight who may have been a Prior and fighting Monk, all the Templar stones were off this design and it was called a Calvary Cross. Looking closely at the stone there are no initials let alone a name or a Crest on it, if he was a Templar then he was a fairly high ranking Knight, the sword on the stone would have been etched from the Knights own sword, but why was he buried on this spot. The Blackfriars were a Dominican Order and not Monks they were known as Friars because they went out and preached.
The area that the body was found in is not far from another area called Cross Causeway where several Knights Templar bodies were found a few years back, however there was a Cistercian Convent in St. Mary's Street formally St. Mary's Wynd and the Chapel was called St. Mary, we find that because of them being Cistercian they may have had a Knight protector, the position of the Convent is only about five hundred yards away from the burial spot.
There was also a Hospital here as well so I look at it being the Knight in question may have been wounded at some point or sick, with these in mind he may have died there and as there was no burial ground he was buried in the now High School Yards.
It states that he was at least six foot tall ( A Warrior ) and perhaps more, he would have been a very strong man and seemed to have had a healthy diet, this is due to his size and bone structure, on looking at the skull all his teeth seem to be in place and also look in quite good condition.
Why were there the remains of a woman and child I thought, well they may have been buried after the Knight was, in those days I don't think it was that important who you were buried beside.

Report by

Grand Prior.

Archibald A. Young. KGCTpl