The Laird of Tillicoultry punched a priest after an argument about not paying church dues. After the laird died, his fist kept bursting out of his grave, punishment for his sin. He was reinterred, but the fist kept rising. Locals rolled a giant stone onto his grave to keep it by his side.
This is said to be the origin of the Scots saying “Yer haund will wag abune the grave” –said to children who dared strike a parent. (The grave is in Tillicoultry Old Kirkyard)
In September 1421, the Tyne flooded so badly that “a great many houses were entirely defaced” in Haddington. The waters were still high on the Feast of St Ninian (16th Sept) so parishioners had to row boats into the church to pray.
In Moray, bridges would be washed away so often, folk used stilts as a reliable way to cross rivers. On Sundays in Kirkmichael parish in 1807, almost 600 people “stilted” the Avon to get to church. Even after good bridges were built, many “wad raither stilt”.
Hall, J. (1807) Travels in Scotland, by an Unusual Route. Vol. 2. J. Johnson, London. 622 pp.
From 1573 to 1712, celebrating Christmas was either illegal or illicit in Scotland. Many businesses didn’t close on 25th Dec until 1958 when it became a public holiday.
In 1650, Bessie Sands of Limekilns was tried for “superstitious absenting from work on Yule”
Between 1573-1712 the Church of Scotland made it illicit by an act at the General Assembly. Between 1640-1661 and 1690-1712, the ban was made a legal one by the Scottish Parliament.
Barclay, Jean (2018) The Kirk that Stole Christmas. Dunfermline Historical Society. https://dunfermlinehistsoc.org.uk/the-kirk-that-stole-christmas/