At Hoo is one of the coarsest exemplifications of masonic incompetency
I have ever encountered.

FIG. 12.--AT HOO, NEAR ROCHESTER

"To Robert Scott, Yeoman, died 24 Dec. 1677,
aged 70 years."

The nimbus or nightcap again appears as in the Ridley specimen, but,
whatever it be, the teeth are undoubtedly the teeth of the skeleton
head.

This stone has another claim to our notice beyond the inartistic
design. It marks one of the very rare efforts in this direction of the
seventeenth century.

The prevalent shape of these old memorials and their almost
contemporary dates seem to indicate a fashion of the period, but they
are met with in other places of various conformations. There is one
at Erith almost square-headed, only 2 feet high, 1 foot 6 inches wide,
and 7 inches thick.

FIG. 13.--AT ERITH.

It may be noted that this also is of the seventeenth century, and the
mode of describing John Green's age is, I think, unique.

High Halstow is a neighbour of Hoo, and has only of late been
penetrated by the railway to Port Victoria.