Scotland offers no specimens. of memorial or Norman crosses, though, perhaps, we should make an exception in favor of the Scott monument, at Edinburgh, which is essentially a Norman C. of a gigantic order. See SCOTT, Sin WALTER. As regards the market-crosses of Scotland, they never attained to that elaborately ornate character which distinguishes such crosses as those of Chichester and Winchester. Yet the Scottish town-crosses had some distinguishing features. The more simple kind consisted of a shaft of stone, generally octangular in shape, and 12 or more feet in height. At top was an ornamental capital, which bore a dial and vane, or the figure of a unicorn. The shaft sprang from the top of a graduated flight of circular or octangular steps. A specimen of this species of C. is seen in the market-place of Melrose. The grander market C. consisted of a tall stone shaft, such as just described, but instead of steps, it sprang from the center of an imposing sub-structure. This structure was circular, hex agonal, or octagonal, and from 10 to 16 ft. high. The top formed a platform, which was surrounded with an ornamental stone parapet, and was reached by a stair inside. The sides of the building were decorated with pilasters, and bore various heraldic and other devices. Such were the crosses of Edinburgh, and such is the renovated C. of Aberdeen, the
sides of which, however, are open. Losing their religious character, the Scottish market-crosses were employed for royal and civic proclamations, and as places where certain judicial writs were executed. The general removal of these ancient and inter esting structures has been often matter of lamentation. The oldest C. of Edinburgh.. which was the scene of a number of incidents connected with Scottish history, stood in the center of the High street, nearly opposite the entrance to the Parliament Square. It was removed in 1617, to make way for a royal pageant, the procession of James VI., on his first visit to Edinburgh after his removal to England. A new market-cross was. then erected a short way further down the street, on the s. side. It consisted of an octangular sub-structure 16 ft. across, with a handsome stone shaft of about 20 ft. in height; its removal in 1756, by the civic authorities, is indignantly referred to by Scott in his poem of .ilfarmion. Since its removal, royal proclamations, etc., are made on the site, which for such purposes is technically the market-cross of Edinburgh. With better appreciation of objects of archaeological interest than prevailed in the 18th c., the shaft, or cross proper, was re-erected in 1869 within the railings of St. Giles. w. c.