Ghostly echoes of times past

Craigie’s coverage of a Crieff-based author’s revealing insights into our countryside’s largely hidden past has sparked a lyrical response from Thomas Brown.

David Cowan’s account of ancient ritualised goings-on at the path leading east out of the Strathearn town, known as Spoke Road or Death Road, rang familiar with Bankfoot man Thomas, who has been inspired to write a poem on the archaic subject.

He explains: “In a most recent item, David Cowan, such an expert on the fascinating subject of standing stones, earth energies, ley lines, etc, refers also to coffin roads, and refers to one in his own area of Crieff.

“As David says, coffin roads were and are found all over the UK and I know of a few. As I followed traces of one it caused my poetic pen to pay homage of solemn past events such paths knew.”

His untitled verse reads as follows...

“The crow sits on the branch

“As a snowflake hits his eye,

“And down the coffin road

“A cortege he does spy.

“His eyes watch with piercing glare

“As the minister ahead

“Reads from his book of prayer, “Words to the dead.

“The small procession passes,

“A few heard to sing,

“And the crow gives a croak

“And takes to the wing.

“The coffin road, oh coffin road “Leads to the kirkyard gate,

“It is journey’s end,

“It is for all our fate.

“The snowflakes dance

“From a heavy laden sky,

“The bell rings the solemn hour,

“The place of rest is nigh.

“Long since such happened

“The old road is no more,

“Just a few traces

“Within the valley floor.

“But the crow’s still there

“On the old fence posts,

“But on the coffin road

“All that’s left is ghosts.”

Here is Coronation Street’s Ken Barlow, aka actor Bill Roache, signing autographs for fans at the opening of a TV rental outlet at the Tesco store in Dundee’s Wellgate Centre in December 1979. If you were there, why not drop us a line with your memories of the day?

“I spotted this fine looking lad in Glenisla,” says Tricia Brown, from Meigle. “I think he and a friend had got separated from an enormous herd of stags further up the hill.”