Researchers are invited to supply additional information, corrections, etc., so the webpage will be the subject of ongoing changes, as required. Monikie Kirkyard is well- known for its rich display and variety of the symbolism used on memorials over the years. There are examples of several trades and professions represented by various icons, as well as angels, skulls, bones, and other imagery relating to life and death - mortality and immortality. It has been suggested that it was not unknown for the stone-masons who carved the inscriptions to be unable to read and write, and apparent examples of this can be witnessed at Monikie. The inscription would, probably, have been written by a Clerk or Kirk Minister, on paper, and given to the mason to copy.
Some examples show beautiful 'copper-plate' 'writings' on the stones.
Other examples are of misspellings and poor letter-spacing. This all adds to the charm, but also adds to the complexity, of reading and researching the inscriptions. The numbering system originally devised for the indexing of the stones has also proved to be somewhat of a problem. The S.G.S. effectively collected information only from stones with pre-1855 data, whereas it appears that W.D.C. collected all information, at least in theory. Both numbering systems 'agree' to start from the far West side, but the first stone is the most Northward in relation to their particular list.