Rev Henry Erskine's Grave

Chirnside Churchyard

Chirnside

Berwickshire

NGR - N*

The large memorial to Rev Henry Erskine is located in the churchyard.

Rev Henry Erskine's Grave

Rev Henry Erskine was the minister at Cornhill on Tweed, in England.He was ejected from the church in 1662.

On leaving Cornhill, Erskine went to Dryburgh, where he lived in a house of his brother's. From time to time he exercised his ministry in a quiet way, till arousing the suspicion of Urquhart of Meldrum, one of the soldiers who scoured the country to put down conventicles, he was summoned to appear before a committee of privy council. Being asked by Sir George Mackenzie, Lord Advocate, whether he would engage to preach no more in conventicles, he refused. He was ordered to pay a fine, and to be imprisoned on the Bass Rock till he should pay the fine and promise to preach no more. Being in poor health he petitioned that the sentence might be changed to banishment from the kingdom. This was allowed, and he settled first at Parkridge, near Carlisle, and then at Monilaws, near Cornhill, where his son Ralph was born.

Apprehended again, Erskine was imprisoned at Newcastle, but after his release in 1685 the king's indulgence (1687) enabled him to continue his ministry without molestation. He preached at Whitsome, near Berwick, and after the revolution was admitted minister of Chirnside, where he died in 1696, at the age of 72. He was buried in the churchyard. He was the father of Rev Ebenezer Erskine and Rev Ralph Erskine, who founded the Secession Church.