St Cuthbert's churchyard, Edinburgh

St Cuthbert's Churchyard, Edinburgh

Visited July 2018

At the end of Princes Street Gardens, and in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, is the parish church of St Cuthbert's, surrounded by its historic graveyard. The church dates from the late 19th century, but there have been churches on the site since at least the 12th century, if not a few centuries earlier.

 Although it's got stunning views over the Castle, and opens directly onto the Gardens, it was quiet when I visited on a Saturday afternoon at the end of July.

The gravestones here are a real mix - in the oldest part there are loads of skulls and other memento mori symbolism, with graves dating back to the 17th century. In the northern sections the Victorian and more recent gravestones are plainer, and arranged in rows, but there are some interesting insights into the social history of the time, as so many include details of the roles in society of those buried there, not just names, dates and epitaphs.

Should you find yourself at the far end of Princes Street, do go in here - it's not nearly as well known as Greyfriars, but is just as interesting, if not more so, and much, much less visited. A true gem in the heart of Edinburgh!

Arbroath Abbey Kirkyard

Arbroath Abbey Kirkyard, Scotland

Visited August 2011

Right beside Arbroath Abbey, within its grounds, is Arbroath Abbey kirkyard, containing over 1400 stones. In the past this kirkyard has been ruthlessly tidied and straightened. There are lots of stones mentioning those lost at sea, or seamen who died abroad, a reminder that Arbroath is perhaps most famous (after the Declaration of Arbroath, of course*) for its fish, Arbroath Smokies in particular.  most stones date from the Victorian period, but a few are older.

If you really only want to visit the kirkyard, you can go via the Visitor Centre, persuade them of your intention not to visit the ruins, and you should get in free. But be spotted straying towards the Abbey and you may be thrown out! 

* The Declaration was signed at the Abbey in 1320 by various Scottish earls and barons, supporting Robert the Bruce and asserting Scottish independence. The most quoted passage is of course "...for, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom – for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself."

St Mary's kirkyard (Banff)

St Mary's Kirkyard, Banff, Scotland

Visited May 2015

In the seaside town of Banff, on the Moray coast of North-East Scotland, is this small, but wonderful kirkyard. There's very little left of the Medieval kirk (church) itself except one part (the Ogilvie Aisle, restored in 2003), but the gravestones alone are worth the visit. Here you'll find graves from the 17th century to the 19th century (the kirkyard closed to new burials in 1862), and the early ones are marvellously preserved. All kinds of symbolism is here - skulls, hourglasses, winged angels, coffins, skeletons, and much more. It may look small, but you'll find plenty here to fill an hour or two. It's surrounded on all sides by roads, and there's a Tesco across the way, but don't worry, once you're in it's a sea of tranquility. Look out for the gravestones commemorating those lost in shipwrecks, as well as the great and the good of late Medieval Banff.

Newmachar Kirkyard, Aberdeenshire

Newmachar Kirkyard, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Visited August 2014

This little kirkyard (churchyard) in North-East Scotland is lovely. It's in the village of Newmachar (Summerhill until 1928, and sometimes spelled New Machar on old maps), which lies a few miles to the north of Aberdeen. Burials date back to the 18th century that I could see, and the high point is the mausoleum of the Gordons of Straloch, one of the local land-owning families.



Mausoleum of the Gordons of Straloch

 

St Nicholas Kirkyard, Aberdeen

Kirkyard (churchyard) of the Kirk of St Nicholas, Aberdeen

Visited August 2014

This kirkyard (Scottish for churchyard) surrounds the Kirk of St Nicholas, on Union Street in central Aberdeen, just a footstep or two from the busy shopping street. The graves date back to the 17th century, and continue to the 20th century. Well worth a visit if you should be up that way 

http://www.aboutaberdeen.com/stnicholaschurch.php (includes info about the supposed ghost!)