Scotland 2025: Edinburgh - Kirkyards, Princes Street Gardens

In addition to attending Edinburgh Fringe shows, our first few days in the city were spent exploring old historic cemeteries (known as kirkyards) and their associated churches (kirks), as well as gardens and streets in the Old Town.  We love touring cemeteries in every new country that we visit since we are fascinated by the history and the different styles of tombs and monuments in various countries that reflect their unique cultures.

We started at the Greyfriars Kirkyard, a famous cemetery dating back to 1562 on the site of a former Franciscan monastery which was named for the friars who wore grey habits.  The friary was dissolved in 1560 during the Scottish Reformation and the land was turned over to the town by Mary Queen of Scots to be used as a burial ground.  It is a lush, atmospheric cemetery, full of massive, ornate tombs from 17th and 18th centuries.  Greyfriars is also linked to many significant historical events.  It was interesting to find out about some of the people memorialized in this graveyard and to learn about the history of this place.

There are many elaborately carved 17th century stone tombs still standing.  They were erected for wealthy occupants with some being “mural monuments”, which are structures imbedded right into the walls of the cemetery.  Amongst the most beautiful is the tomb of George Foulis of Ravelston (1569-1633), who was a goldsmith and Master of the King’s Mint in Scotland.  It also commemorates his wife, Jane Bannatyne whose father was a well-known poet.  Commissioned by their son in 1636, the central carving depicts images of George and Jane on either side of a skeletal figure with an evil grin and clasped hands signifying death.  Above this image is a cherub and Father Time symbolizing mortality and the passing of time.  Nearby is another massive mural monument for Thomas Bannatyne (1570-1635), probably a cousin of Jane’s.  Erected by his wife Janet, Thomas’ tomb features an angel holding up a book while crushing a skeleton to represent the soul's victory over death as well as an image of Father Time with an hourglass and scythe.  Between the two huge monuments is a relatively small, unadorned one - maybe for a poor relative?

The tomb for royal solicitor John Bayne of Pitcairlie (1620-1681) is shaped like a small temple which was once opulently painted and gilded.  Inside is an almost life-sized statue of the lawyer who was a “writer to the Signet” meaning he worked on contracts that required the monarch’s seal of approval.  The tomb is currently behind bars for protection against vandalism. The Kincaid monument is a tribute to the Kincaid family of Warriston, who were prominent merchants and landowners in the 17th Century.  The tomb is decorated with a pair of carved female forms with their hands clasped in prayer.  Although not in this tomb, Alexander Kincaid (1710-1777), former Lord Provost (city councillor) was buried in another location in Greyfriars in 1737.

Greyfriars Kirkyard is noted for its significant role in Scottish history.  During the 17th Century, a violent religious and political struggle dubbed the “Killing Times” arose in Scotland.  A Presbyterian group known as the Covenanters opposed royal interference in the Church of Scotland.  In 1638, at Greyfriars Kirkyard, they signed the National Covenant asserting religious and civil rights.  This led to armed conflicts with Kings James VI and Charles I that saw Covenanters being killed or tortured and imprisoned.  After the Battle of Bothwell Bridge in 1679, hundreds of Covenanters were kept in horrendous conditions in an open-air section of the Kirkyard known as Covenanters’ Prison. Many did not survive.  This area still exists in the Kirkyard although it is behind gates and only accessible via guided tour.  There is also a Martyrs’ Monument commemorating the suffering of this group.  Ironically, the circular mausoleum of “Bloody” George Mackenzie (1636-1691), the Lord Advocate who persecuted the Covenanters, is situated just around the corner from the prison.  His mausoleum is said to be haunted by a malevolent poltergeist that is either Mackenzie himself or one of the tormented souls of the Covenanters.

Other interesting historical elements include a “MortSafe”, a heavy iron cage designed to cover and protect a grave from vandalism or theft, particularly by body-snatchers or “resurrectionists” in the 19th century who robbed graves and stole bodies to be used for medical research.  The cages were rented for up to 2 months until decomposition made the bodies useless.  William Burke and William Hare were infamous criminals in Edinburgh who decided it was more expedient to murder prostitutes or fellow lodgers staying at their rooming house rather than to rob graves or wait for them to die naturally, as was the case with their first body which they supplied to Dr. Robert Knox, a dissection lecturer. From 1827-1828, the pair killed 16 people and supplied them to doctors for dissection, being paid around paid 7 pounds 10 shillings per body (equivalent to 950 pounds today).  Their method of killing by suffocation came to be known as “burking”.  Found in the centre of Greyfriars Kirkyard is a small section of the Flodden Wall, a historic defensive wall that weaved through Edinburgh’s Old Town in the 1500s to protect the city from future English invasion after a resounding Scottish defeat in at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.  At the time, the 24-foot-tall, 4-foot-thick wall enclosed an area of 140 acres and protected 10,000 residents.

For all of its fascinating history, Greyfriars Kirkyard is also known for some quirky reasons including being the inspiration to J.K.Rowling for the names of many of the characters in her series of Harry Potter books including the last name Potter itself.  Apparently, Rowling roamed through the cemetery looking at the names on the graves and came up with Thomas Riddell, a 19th century general whose the name she used for Lord Voldemort, as well as tombs inspiring the characters of Sirrus Black, Minerva McGonagall and more.  Harry Potter guided tours often walk through the kirkyard revealing the location of these graves.

But perhaps the most famous grave is dedicated to the dog “Greyfriars Bobby”, a loyal Skye Terrier who is said to have guarded and refused to leave his master John Gray’s grave for 14 years after the night watchman died in 1858.  A statue standing prominently in the centre of a large flower garden plus a tomb stone marks Bobby’s grave. By contrast, John Gray’s tomb is quietly located in another part of the cemetery with much less pomp and circumstance or foot traffic.  Bobby was so famous that there are numerous paintings and drawings of him, a Disney movie inspired by him, and a second sculpture at 30-34 Candlemaker Row in front of a pub named after him.  This latter sculpture was recently featured in an episode of the Netflix TV series Dept.Q when detective Carl Morck (played by actor Matthew Goode) walks by and rubs its shiny bronze nose.

Inside the Greyfriars Kirk (Church), we found several paintings and etchings of Bobby.  There is even a souvenir shop selling trinkets with Bobby’s image.  He has become quite the tourist attraction.  We also lucked out and arrived in time to enjoy a musical performance in the church which featured a folk singer, guitar and a pair of accordions.  Completed in 1620, it is the first church built in Scotland after the Reformation.  A small museum displays artifacts and art related to Greyfriars Bobby, a copy of the National Covenant and other religious artifacts.

While in Edinburgh, we also visited St.Cuthbert’s Kirkyard and Parish, which was established in 1595 and had its own unique tombs and history.  Grave robbery was a huge problem in the 19th century so we saw several signs of deterrents.  At one edge of the cemetery sits a “Body Snatcher Watchtower”, which was erected in 1827 as a place where watchmen would stay overnight to detract graverobbers.  We came across an even more elaborate mort-safe than the one at Greyfriars.  St.Cuthbert’s Kirkyard sits right below Edinburgh Castle providing stunning views from certain vantage points.  Similar to Greyfriars, this cemetery has mural monuments built into its walls but here we found many more free-standing tombs which allowed me to get close enough to get a better sense of how large these individual grave markers were.

There were some beautiful sculptures and carvings on some of the tombs including interesting juxtaposition of skulls and angels.  This was a popular motif between the 1600s-1800s since the skull represented mortality and death while the angel represented salvation and a soul’s journey to eternal life after death, making the combination a hopeful imagery.  The grounds of St.Cuthbert’s are landscaped with trees, bushes and flowers including a very unique tree native to Chile or Argentina which is commonly known as a “Monkey Puzzle”.  Its branches curve upwards, covered with leaves that are stiff, dark green, triangular, razor-sharp and armour-like.  The British coined the name of the tree since they thought it would be difficult or a puzzle for a monkey trying to climb it.  As we left the kirkyard to enter the adjoining Princes Garden, we came across the sculpture of “Bum the Dog” which commemorates a famous 19th century stray dog who roamed Edinburgh’s sister city San Diego.  The friendly St.Bernard-Spaniel had lost part of his front leg in a train accident and was admired for his friendly nature and resilience.  San Diego sent Edinburgh this sculpture in 2008 after Edinburgh gifted a sculpture of Bobby, honouring the respective dogs for their stories of canine loyalty and community spirit.  People have taken to leaving sticks at the foot of Bum’s statue.  Now having discovered two dog sculptures in Edinburgh, I was on the lookout for more and we came across three others during the remainder of our trip through Scotland.

We had tried several times to get into the Parish of St. Cuthbert but it was closed each time. We realized later that this was because it was being used as a venue for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.  We finally managed to tour the interior on our last day in Edinburgh after the Fringe had ended.  There were several points of interest inside including a beautiful stained-glass window designed by Louis Tiffany which depicts David with sling in hand setting out to do battle with Goliath.  The window was dedicated to the memory of Lieutenant William Victor St.Clair McLaren who died in the Boer War in 1900.  One of only three notable Tiffany windows in Scotland, this one was commissioned by McLaren’s mother along with a second memorial made of carved stone.  On the east wall of the apse is an alabaster frieze carved as a reproduction of Leonardo Da Vinci’s 1498 masterpiece The Last Supper.  The carving was donated by members of the church in 1906. A beautiful marble hexagonal baptismal font includes bronze figures of a mother and child which is a copy of Michelangelo's Madonna of Bruges.

Another interesting fact about St. Cuthbert Parish is that it is the location where famed mystery writer Agatha Christie married her second husband archaeologist Max Mallowen in 1930.  Being a divorced woman, Christie could not be married in England and therefore had the ceremony performed in Scotland.  A copy of the marriage certificate is shown in a display case along with newspaper clippings about the event.

Princes Street Gardens consists of a pair of large public parks separated by a street running north-south perpendicular to Princes Street called “The Mound”, which also delineates the “Old Town” from the “New Town”.  A pathway at the end of St. Cuthbert Kirkyard (next to the Bum the Dog sculpture) leads into the West Princes Street Gardens, which is the more ornate of the two parks.  Spanning 37 acres, the parks were created in the 1820s by draining Nor Loch, a polluted artificial lake that was originally a 15th century defensive barrier for the city.

The gardens are known for their picturesque setting beneath Edinburgh Castle with an excellent viewpoint near the Ross Bandstand, an outdoor concert space donated by William Henry Ross in 1877.  Nearby is the gorgeous Ross Fountain, named after a different person, gunmaker Daniel Ross who purchased it at London’s 1862 Great Exhibition. Made from cast iron painted turquoise and gold and designed in Beaux Arts style, the fountain features cherubs, mermaids, and water nymphs. At the top of the north-eastern end of the West Gardens near Princes Street is the world’s oldest, fully functioning floral clock created in 1903.  It consists of over 35,000 living flowers and plants with clock hands and numbers on the face and mechanisms hidden under the floral arrangements.  Just south of the clock down at park level is a quaint 1868 Victorian styled cottage that was originally built as the Head Gardener’s residence.  Today it is used as administrative office space for the park but the private garden surrounding the house is still beautifully landscaped with flower beds, trees and bushes.  At the gates leading to the cottage is a sign that reads “Great Aunt Lizzie’s”, signifying the affectionate nickname that had given to the gardener’s home.

Many historic statues and monuments grace the west end of the parks including several impressive war memorials. The Royal Scot’s Greys Memorial is a looming bronze sculpture of a horse and rider overlooking the park and Edinburgh Castle.  A distinguished cavalry regiment formed in 1678, whose official name was the 2nd Dragoons when they joined the British army, earned the nickname “Scot’s Greys” due to the grey horses that they were known to ride.  The regiment played key roles in major conflicts from the late 17th through the 20th centuries. The Scottish American Memorial, also known as “The Call 1914”, was erected in 1927 as a touching tribute from Scottish Americans to honour Scots who served in WWI.  At the centre is the bronze sculpture of a kilted infantryman while behind him is a bronze frieze depicting all who answered the call ranging from civilians to soldiers, led by a pipe band. The Royal Scots Memorial is an even larger monument that commemorates and honours the history of the Royal Scots regiments from 1633 through 2007.  Set in a semi-circle is a central stone with the badge of the regiment in bronze, flanked by seven stone monoliths each featuring low-relief carvings of the Royal Scots depicting their uniforms and arms through different periods through the centuries.  A bronze fence connects each stone and depicts medallions of the monarchs who reigned during each period.

The Genius of Architecture Statue depicts a robed goddess personifying “Architecture” crowning a boy with a scroll representing theory and one with a trowel representing practice.  Other monuments of interest included a plain tomb-like marker honouring Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson and a large stone erected in 1978 memorializing the Norwegian Brigade and other armies that trained in Scotland during WWII.  Along the upper edge of the West Gardens are historic sculptures dedicated to important Scottish figures including Sir James Young Simpson who first demonstrated the aesthetic properties of chloroform.

There were also a couple of poignant sculptures featuring animals found in the middle of the park. The Mortonhall Baby Ashes Memorial was created in 2019 by Adam Scott as a memorial for stillborn babies and infants who were cremated in Mortonhall Crematorium and secretly buried in mass graves between 1967 and 2011, affecting over 250 families.  The sculpture consists of a bronze baby elephant etched with “forget-me-not” flowers with a plaque indicating “gone but never forgotten”.  Wojtek the Soldier Bear commemorates an orphaned bear cub who was adopted as a mascot by the 2nd Polish Corps during WWII.  To bypass military regulations banning pets, Wojtek was enlisted as a private with his own serial number and paybook.  He was known for wrestling with the soldiers and drinking beer, as depicted in scenes from a bronze frieze behind the bear sculpture.  He is said to have carried artillery shells and crates in Italy during the Battle of Monte Cassino which led to his promotion to corporal.  After the war, Wojtek retired and spent his remaining days in the Edinburgh Zoo.

The Mound was created between 1781 and 1830 by dumping 1.5 million cartloads of earth excavated from the foundations of the “New Town” into the drained Nor Loch to create a new thoroughfare connecting it to the Old town.  Many important structures were built on The Mound including the National Gallery of Scotland, Royal Scottish Academy, Church of Scotland General Assembly Hall and Bank of Scotland Headquarters.  East Princes Street Gardens is delineated by The Mound on its west side and Waverly Train Station on the east.  Whereas the slope on the West Garden leading from Princes Street to the park is lined with landscaping and sculptures, it is left as a grassy incline on the east side where people like to sit in the sunshine.  The east side has more flat open spaces which are used for festivals including a Christmas Market featuring a huge Ferris Wheel named Edinburgh Eye, and Europe’s largest skating rink.  The one significant monument on the east side is dedicated to novelist Sir Walter Scott.  The Scott Memorial is a massive Victorian-Gothic sandstone tower spanning over 200 feet in height featuring a tall spire with gothic details.  There are 64 statues of characters from Scott’s novels including Ivanhoe and Robb Roy as well as 16 busts of famous Scottish poets, authors and royalty including Robbie Burns and Mary Queen of Scots.  At the centre of the monument is a marble statue of Scott with his loyal dog Maida at his side.  This is now the third dog sculpture that we have found so far in Edinburgh.

We unexpectedly came across another cemetery that was not originally on our radar as we walked back from our visit to the Modern Art Museums.  Dean Cemetery is yet another historic kirkyard dating back to 1846 but it is much quieter due to its distance away from the heart of Old Town.  It is known for its picturesque landscape with mature trees and garden paths, Victorian monuments and notable graves including noted photographer David Octavius Hill (1802-1870), historical painter David Scott (1807-1849) and doctor/Arctic Explorer Robert Anstruther Goodsir (1823-1895), all of whom had ornate tombs near the front of the cemetery.  I learned through later research that there were even more elaborate tombs and monuments further into the cemetery.  But since we were already tired from our museum day, we only did a cursory tour of the front and rested on a shady bench under a tree before heading off again.