Ordnance Survey Book, Skene parish, Aberdeenshire:
Ordnance Survey Book [First Edition OS maps]:
‘This is the Site of where a Wooden Coffin was found in trenching the field about 12 years ago. it contained human bones and the remains of a pair of Shoes. “Tradition has it that a man of the name” of Jock Smith belonging to Tarland was executed in Aberdeen for Horse stealing about 100 years ago and that his friends got his body to have it buryed in Tarland and on the road home with it had to bury it here as they could carry it no further the night was that rough with thunder rain and lightning.’
