YESTER CHURCH, Haddingtonshire.
The parish church of Yester stands at the north end of the village of Gifford, about four and a half miles south of Haddington. The
Fig. 1613.—Gifford Tower, from South-West.
ancient church of Yester has already been described. It was superseded last century by the present structure, which is a plain oblong chamber of the usual style of the period, but with a tower on the south side (Fig. [1613]), which is a good example of that class of erection at the period.
NOTE.
The illustration or tailpiece on the following page shows a remarkable specimen of early Scottish sculpture, preserved in the Museum of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in Edinburgh.
The stone, which is about 6 feet in length, was found in the River May, Perthshire, and is supposed to have come from an ancient church which formerly occupied a site within a rath or stronghold which stood on the Holy Hill, on the bank of the river, near Forteviot, about two miles from Forgandenny.[265] The last traces of the rath and church were swept away by a flood which occurred in the beginning of this century.