The tomb of King Robert the Bruce and the Cathedral Church of Dunfermline

At the start of 1807 it was noted that Dunfermline Cathedral was in a state of disrepair and less than a month later the southwest tower collapsed. Nothing further was done about a new building and over the next eight years, apart from the essential rebuilding of the tower, money was wasted on a series of ineffectual repairs. Finally, in February 1816, it was clear that a new church should be built and work began on levelling the site in February 1818. On the 17th the workman came across a double vault near the site of the former high alter. The inner vault contained a lead-wrapped skeleton, along with fragments of an oak coffin and scraps of fine linen interwoven with gold thread, and it was soon decided that these must be the remains of King Robert the Bruce, who had been buried at Dunfermline in 1329. The Barons of the Exchequer were informed, and they ordered that the vault should be covered with flat stones to protect it until they decided what should be done with the body. As an extra precaution against possible depredations the provost arranged for a permanent watch to be kept by the grave and the walls of the new church to be built up to a height of at least seven feet. The Barons decided that the body should be reburied and finally, on 5 November 1819, the great day arrived. Many dignitaries and crowds of townspeople assembled to witness the reburial of the king.

This report was finally published in 1821 with full details of the remains of the skeleton of Robert the Bruce.

This is a synopsis of an article by Sue Mowat published on:

Robert the Bruce Buried Again – Dunfermline Historical Society (dunfermlinehistsoc.org.uk)

A generally well preserved copy with some looseness of the binding and general rubbing, bumping and fraying of the cover boards. The inside pages reamin bright and clean with some internal browning & foxing. This is a scarce edition.

Please check the images associated with this Book to gain a clear insight into the book's condition and if you require further details please send an email enquiry.

If you have an interest in this work we would recommend an online viewing and to contact us to arrange an appointment.

In ink opposite title page:

"To the Hon. Mrs Abercrombie from Sir Henry Jardine, Compliments"

Sir Henry Jardine was "The King's Remembrancer," (author of the report). He was present as a memeber of the body overseeing the reburial in 1819.

"Henry Jardine WS, the King’s Remembrancer. The office of Remembrancer had originated many centuries before in the English Exchequer as the official who compiled the memorandum rolls and thus “reminded” the Barons of the Exchequer of business pending. The Court of Exchequer in Scotland was founded at the Union of 1707 and the Scottish Remembrancer represented the Crown’s interests in cases of unclaimed goods or money that reverted to the Crown for any reason and also dealt with treasure trove. Henry Jardine was born in 1766, son of the Rev. John Jardine, minister of the Tron Kirk of Edinburgh. He studied law and became a Writer to the Signet in 1790 and in 1819 had only recently been appointed King’s Remembrancer. He was an antiquarian who was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1814 and in 1823 was a founder member of the Bannatyne Club. He was knighted in 1825, retired in 1837 on a pension of £1400 per annum, and died on 11 August 1851 at his home, 123 Princes Street."

Quoted from an article by Sue Mowat published on:

Robert the Bruce Buried Again – Dunfermline Historical Society (dunfermlinehistsoc.org.uk)