WAY Mystery of Templar treasure
WE REVISIT DEREK PARKER’S RAMBLES THROUGH RENFREWSHIRE
In the sepulchre-studded graveyards of the Paisley area’s medieval churches, you will discover sculpted swords, skulls and crossbones carved on walls and stone slabs.
On sultry summer nights, when the setting sun sinks serenely to its crimson cradle of solar slumber beyond the western hills, you travel back through time to the distant days of the Knights Templar warriormonks commemorated by the cryptic carvings.
The year is 1307 and the Grand Templar Fleet slips surreptitiously out to sea from France’s Atlantic ports – fleeing the genocidal persecution instigated by Church and State and savagely implemented by the ruthless agents of the Inquisition, who tortured and slaughtered the Templars because they feared the brotherhood’s power and coveted their wealth.
Across the sea the fugitives sail, in long-prowed boats, navigated by billowing black-and-white sails painted with skulls and crossbones.
The skeletal symbols reminded the
Derek Parker knew many of Paisley’s secrets – the grimy and the good.
He wandered every corner in search of the clues that would unlock Renfrewshire’s rich history.
These tales were shared with readers in his hugely popular Parker’s Way column.
We’ve opened our vault to handpick our favourites for you.
Knights of Man’s mortality and their divine mission to serve God, even at the cost of their own lives, during their earthly pilgrimages.
Some of the French fugitives, identifiable by their white surplices emblazoned with crimson crosses, find sanctuary in the Paisley neighbourhood, where their Scottish brethren already hold lands and where they are absorbed into the Templar community.
Seven centuries later, the Knights Templar legacy still lives on in our neighbourhood in the sepulchral sculptures at pre-Reformation churchyards like Houston, Inchinnan, Kilbarchan and Mearns.
There, Templar tombs are marked by stone-scythed swords commemorating the silent sleepers’ Christian crusades.
And moss-mantled walls overlooking their grass-grown graves are carved with the same skull-andcrossbone symbols which grinned grimly from the black-and-white sails of the fleeing Templar Fleet, reminding the occupants of the brevity of human life.
But, if an ancient rhyme rings true, the Renfrewshire Templars bequeathed to posterity something even more valuable than their archaeological artefacts – chests of treasure which they spirited away on the flight from France those 700 years ago and buried in the countryside between Paisley and the Mearnskirk.
According to the rhyme, the precious haul lies: “Yont Capelrig and Lyon Cross, and eke the auld hare stane, there’s rowth (plenty) o’ bonnie siller (silver) lies wha’ finds the king will sain (bless).”
Mine of information
Perhaps one day the wealth for which the Knights Templar’s enemies killed – but failed to find – will be unearthed on Paisley’s doorstep.