Glentulchan

The Mercer family was said to be “aye aulder than auld Perth”.

In return for giving the North and South Inches to the people of Perth, the Mercer family were given a burial vault in St John’s Kirk.

It was in St John’s Kirk that Peter and Sian were married on the 10th July 1993. We took our vows standing above the Mercers.

The last burial in the Mercer vault was in 1825.

It was Graeme Reid Mercer, Esquire of Gorthie, an ardent Antiquary and poet, who designed and created a ‘new’ family burial ground by the river Almond, at Glentulchan.

It is now overgrown and the 11 family crosses hidden from view (all, but two, are siblings of Graeme Reid Mercer).

The avenue leading to the burial ground has now gone but the gate-piers, surmounted by Storks (with serpents in mouth) remain impressive. On the back of the piers the history and emblems of the Mercer family are inscribed along with Graeme Reid Mercer’s antiquarian poem.

The North and South Inches:

To play this film please click here or on the image above.

Music credit: cover of ‘Oh, you pretty things’ by David Gray

The opening voice is that of Grayson Perry talking how artists may try to ‘capture’ the moment.