The Linton Worm,
continued,

   The Church Ceiling at Linton

The ancient tympanum over the church door at Linton commemorates Somerville’s bravery.
The finer details of the sculptured sandstone have become effaced with so many years exposure to the elements, but it is still possible to trace a knight in full armour with a falcon on his arm charging an animal which bears more resemblance to a dog or a wolf than a serpent.

Much has been said and written about this famous sculpture, but the Somerville Stone still remains somewhat of a mystery to antiquarians.
The carving is certainly unique not only because of its great age, but it is reckoned to be the only complete tympanum with figure carving left in Scotland. In an attempt to preserve it from further ravages by the weather it has been fitted with a cover.

Linton Tower, the moated keep of the Somerville's stood on a knoll a few hundred yards east of the church, the two buildings were so close that an underground passage may have existed. It is still possible to trace the general outline of the building, though nothing now remains of this ancient tower.

In addition to this Somerville stronghold, there were several other towers in the parish at one time. At the end of the Din Moss near Hoselaw, stood Garden Tower stronghold of the Ker’s, Hoselaw Peel stood close to Hoselaw Chapel while Sharprig Tower occupied a site on the farm of Frogden, no trace of any of these buildings survives.

The outstanding object of interest in Linton is the Norman church, which it has been said is probably the oldest building in continuous use for Christian worship in the Middle Borders.
It is uncertain who brought Christianity to the district but it could have been St. Cuthbert. As abbot of Lindisfarne he took many journeys inland to various parts of the Borders.

The church building surmounts a mound of fine red sand - a curious formation. Scott in his "Mintrelsy of the Scottish Border" describes it as "a little hill of sand in which no stone the size of an egg is to be found." The origin of this strange mound may be due to natural forces, but tradition assures us that its formation is accounted for in a much more novel way.

Long ago a young man of Linton was condemned to death because he had killed a priest. His own two sisters however had his life spared on condition that without help they would riddle a mound of sand big enough for a church building.
After many years during which the brother was kept in captivity the task was completed.

Few of the gravestones in the ancient churchyard are readable owing to the friable nature of the stones. When foundations of a new east gable were being dug, one unknown grave was unearthed containing over fifty skulls most of them cloven in battle.
A red sandstone monument to the memory of Lieut.-General David Walker of Frogden, a friend of Walter Scott was moved to its position in the nave in 1912 for preservation.

The bell which still calls the people of Linton to worship every Sunday was presented to the church by the Pringles of Clifton in the 17th century, it bears the inscription "F. Linton Kirk. John Meikle me fecit. Edinburgh 1697."
The silver Communion cups used to this day, date from the same period and are inscribed "anno Dom M.D.C.C."

On the sill of the chancel window is a bell of greater antiquity - the old parish "dead bell" which in pre-Reformation days proclaimed to the parishioners that one of their number had past away.
This bell was retrieved - for the sum of 2d - from a sale of scrap iron in Kelso. On its rim is embossed "Mr Robert Ker. Linton" (He was minister from 1619 - 1658)

Later, the font did duty as a flower pot on the lawn at Clifton Park (home of the Elliots).
Restored to the church in 1808, it is once more in use and is of sufficient size to permit total immersion. Its cover like that of the one in Hoselaw Chapel is made from wood of a pear tree which grew in the manse garden.

Built into the south east corner of the church is an old and very interesting sundial. Round its base these words are carved: "My days are like a shadow that declineth. Mr. W.D. 1699" (Walter Douglas, minister of Linton 1698 - 1727.)

Among the more recent additions inside the church is an alabaster tablet bearing a list of Linton ministers since 1127. This was erected in 1927 to commemorate the octo-centenary of the church.
The present minister Rev. John McGilp has held the charge since 1947.