Resurrectionists at work

Old Pentland Kirkyard. After the Battle of Rullion Green in 1666, where many Covenanters were killed - some with terrible torture after the battle had ended - some of the dead were brought to this kirkyard.

Today's tale though comes from a bit later. This is the Watch House in the kirkyard, where men were posted for a couple of weeks after a fresh burial had been made in order to prevent the body-snatchers - or Resurrectionists as they were called - from making off with the dead to sell them to the Anatomists at the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh.

Normally the relatives of the dead would either take the watch themselves or pay men to do so. In any event those watching here in April 1742 after the burial of a child failed in their duty.

John Samuel, a gardener, dug up the corpse a week after the burial. In many ways, that was the easy bit. Much more hazardous was getting the body into the city and delivered to the Anatomists. He was stopped by the Guard at the Potterrow Port, and when his pack was searched he was arrested and taken before the High Court of Justiciary.

His sentence was to be publicly whipped through Edinburgh, and then to be banished from Scotland for seven years.