With the days getting shorter and darker I’ve been going for daily walks, trying to get as much natural light as possible as I could easily stay inside working and not see the sun until next year.
My Sunday walk took me to my local Kirkyard, Greyfriars, which is suitably impressive. Burials have been taking place since the late 16th century, and though formerly a Franciscan friary (thus the name grey – friars) it was put into use to inter the dead when St Giles was full.
Greyfriars has quite the history; the National Covenant signed there in 1638, the loyal dog Greyfriars Bobby becoming legend, and more recently the site has become infamous for paranormal happenings. I highly recommend following this link: HERE for a dramatically told history of the Mackenzie poltergeist and how he became “awakened.”
I was purely there to continue adding to my photo hoard of Edinburgh graveyards. It’s a busy place, with numerous tourists usually ruining a shot by getting in my way, but I’ve lived in the city centre long enough to become slightly tolerant of their presence and to just take a deep breath and remember how valuable they are to Edinburgh’s financial health. No comment on my mood during Fringe month though… Or whilst navigating the Christmas Market… Or watching them fail miserably at operating the local shops self service checkouts…
The Tomb of John Bayne of Pitcairlie (17th Century)
George Heriots School from the Kirkyard 