▁the ▁married ▁couple , ▁especially ▁when ▁the ▁dow ry ▁was ▁large , ▁or ▁were ▁car ved ▁into ▁a ▁pre - ex isting ▁l int el ▁over ▁the ▁main ▁entrance ▁or ▁over ▁a ▁fire place . ▁The ▁stones ▁also ▁clearly ▁indicated ▁the ▁ownership ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁to ▁on look ers ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁serving ▁as ▁a ▁record ▁for ▁poster ity ▁of ▁both ▁mar ital ▁bl iss ▁and ▁often ▁also ▁of ▁social ▁adv ancement . ▁ ▁Dat est ones ▁are ▁a ▁subt ly ▁different ▁category ▁in ▁that ▁they ▁primarily ▁comm emor ate ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁building ▁rather ▁than ▁record ▁a ▁marriage . ▁They ▁may ▁do ▁both ▁and ▁such ▁symbol ism ▁as ▁ent w ined ▁hearts ▁indicates ▁that ▁they ▁serve ▁to ▁perform ▁both ▁functions . ▁Date ▁stones ▁are ▁far ▁more ▁common ▁than ▁marriage ▁stones ▁and ▁are ▁found ▁on ▁most ▁types ▁of ▁vern ac ular ▁buildings , ▁indeed ▁they ▁are ▁in ▁v og ue ▁again ▁today ▁( 2 0 0 7 ), ▁partly ▁through ▁the ▁influence ▁of ▁the ▁significance ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁mill en ni um ▁year . ▁Some ▁buildings ▁have ▁both ▁marriage ▁stones ▁and ▁dat est ones , ▁such ▁as ▁' The ▁Hill ' ▁at ▁Dun lop , ▁which ▁has ▁a ▁date ▁stone ▁on ▁the ▁' m ansion ▁house ' ▁and ▁even ▁the ▁gate posts ▁are ▁dated . ▁ ▁Position ing ▁▁ ▁The ▁stones ▁were ▁placed ▁where ▁they ▁would ▁be ▁easily ▁and ▁frequently ▁seen ▁by ▁visitors , ▁usually ▁on ▁the ▁l int el ▁above ▁the ▁front ▁door ▁of