Long-lost Raploch lion roars again at the Smith

Raploch Lion

Last week, the latest addition to the Stirling Smith collections was unveiled by Stephen Kerr MP. It is a reproduction of a long-lost Raploch stone, re-carved anew by stonemasons James Innes and Son of Doune.

The original stone was on a tenement in Back O’Hill Road/ Albany Crescent, designed by architect John Allan, built in 1896 and demolished in 1965. The companion stone, a“magic stone” where the numbers add up to 18 on all sides, has also been re-carved for the Smith.

The“magic stone”with the injunction“Whate’er thou art, act well thy part”inspired a young Mormon missionary, David O Mackay visiting Stirling in 1897, to do his best in his work. He made the stone world-famous in his teaching, as he rose to become the ninth president of the Church.

The stone was purchased and taken to Salt Lake City, Utah in the 1960s. Both stones have been re-carved in limestone for the Smith.

Until now, the only known lion in Raploch was that at St Mark’s Church. This lion is older, referencing King James I who beheaded the Duke of Albany in 1425 on the Beheading Stone on Gowan Hill. Albany had kept James an English prisoner for 18 years, refusing to pay the ransom.

John Allan had designed the protective cage for the Beheading Stone in 1887 and referenced the story in his buildings of 1896. The puzzle was unravelled by church historian Mandy Watson and is explained in a beautiful new exhibit at the Smith. Elspeth King