Greyfriar's Graveyard

So you get to come here to check out the graveyard of a foolishly loyal dog (whose story I won't rehash for the thousandth time) whose gravestone gets to be bigger and more impressive than any of the humans in this cemetery.

Some nice tombstones, though. Pretty. If you enjoy hanging about in graveyards then this will appeal to you, and your children no doubt.

An interesting place to have a walk around. From the street it doesn't look that big but once you go inside it is absolutely massive! Its quite strange to come from a busy street into the quiet graveyard here, and quite stange to have one so close to the centre of town.

There seems to be so much history here, and so many different graves and tombs to look at and it would be possible to spend a good couple of hours here.

There are often paid ghost walk tours around here at night in hopes of seeing some ghosts! But you can walk around here for free without having to pay for it, and it is a strangely beautiful place.

Just off of Candlemaker Row in the centre of Edinburgh you will find this interesting place. You can find in here the grave of the owner of famous Greyfriar Bobby. It is also the place of the Mackenzie Poltergeist a supernatural entities. Really worth seeing place in Edinburgh.

Ein Stueck Frieden diekt in der Naehe der hektischen Stadtmitte. Diese ruhige Plaetzchen mit den alten und verwucherten Graebern laedt zum Spazierengehen ein und fuehrt einem die Schoenheit Edinburghs nochmal vor Augen.

With free entry (as long as you’re early enough!) and so well placed (right opposite the National Museum, above Grassmarket and with the Castle looming overhead) there’s no reason to not take a walk around.

Peering into some of the vaults is still haunting, even in the middle of a hazy busy Festival afternoon as it is this time of year.

take a step back in time to medieval edinburgh with a visit to greyfriars kirkyard
it takes its name from the grey friars who had a franciscan friary here pre-reformation
the present church dates from 1620 and during cromwell’s invasion of scotland greyfriars was used as a barracks from 1650 to 1653
- many of the family graves are enclosed in stone and ironwork cages called mortsafes - this is to safeguard the dead from the early 19c resurrection men (eg burke & hare) who supplied edinburgh medical college with corpses for dissection - the local 'ghost’ tours will give you all the info
- the covenanters who were scottish presbyterians signed the national covenant here in 1638 to confirm their opposition to the interference by the stuart kings in the affairs of the church of scotland
- and who can forget the story of greyfriars 'bobby’ who spent fourteen years constant watch and guard over his master’s grave until his own death in 1872

Greyfriars Graveyard is just off of Candlemaker Row in the centre of Edinburgh. It is the final resting place of that most loyal dog Greyfriars Bobby, situated just opposite his statue on George IV Bridge. The Graveyard is has some very beautiful views of the Castle and is a little oasis of calm in the centre of Edinburgh. One of my favourite features of this graveyard are the frequent skeleton motifs on the gravestones, an ancient morbid convention. The church at the centre of this graveyard is one of the oldest Edinburgh buildings, with building beginning in 1602. It is the only Church of Scotland church to still perform a Sunday mass in Gaelic.

In good weather, this is a nice place to go to eat your lunch. Grab a sandwich from one of the many sandwich takeaways on George IV Bridge or Forrest Road and relax in a leafy nook by the church. There’s a grassy area so you’re not actually sitting near the graves! It’s very picturesque. Can get a bit busy with students if it’s exam time, I’ve found, but otherwise take a book and chill out for an hour in this little oasis in the city centre.

another great place in the city to add to yout tour

A bit of peace and quiet in the middle of a bustling city, until you get over to the old prison gates and feel ghostly hands around your throat.
Hurry back to the safety of the doggie!

The graveyard of Greyfriars, just off the George IV Bridge in Edinburgh’s Old Town is, to use a horrendous travel-writing cliche, a quintissentially olde world place of rest - or unrest as the case may be.

In recent years the graveyard has gained notoriety - gently helped along by the cut-throat competition between the city’s various ghost tour companies - as being the home of world’s most active poltergeist.

Apparently, George Mackenzie, a 17th century judge noted for his brutal treatment of the Convenanters (rebels against Charles I’s attempts to reform the protestant church), has in recent years been the culprit behind all manner of bizarre attacks and visitations. For those so inclined, the City Of The Dead Tours go through the locked off area of the graveyard where the aforementioned pesky spirit has wreaked most havoc.

For everyone else however, the moss-encrusted tombs, well kept gardens and fantastic views of Edinburgh castle should be reason enough to visit this small bubble of solitude in the middle of town. It’s a truly beautiful spot.

Home to the Mackenzie Poltergeist, one of the best documented supernatural entities in the world, Greyfriars graveyard is loaded with the weight historical Edinburgh’s wealthy, influential and notorious. While guided tours frequent the graveyard, a solo exploration is equally enlightening, especially with a good map or guidebook. For some peace and quite, go for a wonder during the day, but if you’re after some spine-chilling fun, take a guided tour or hit the graveyard at dusk… and congratulate yourself with a well earned pint at Greyfriar Bobby’s pub on your way out.