The name Ollaberry derives from Old Norse Olarfsberg, the hill of Olaf. It is a small settlement on the Northmavine peninsula of Shetland Mainland, the land north of the isthmus Mavis Grind. Northmavind offers spectacular views. There is arable land around Ollaberry but the sea still is and always has been both livelihood and death... Continue Reading →
There are a number of burial plots for just one family in Scotland and Leckine is one of them. Situated on the land that belonged to the MacLarens of Ardveich for centuries it has been the burial ground for generations that lived in the area around Lochearnhead. Leckine burial ground is not easy to find,... Continue Reading →
funny Scottish epitaphs - the Milton Rifle Club Erected in respect of David Dawson By fellow members of the Milton Rifle Club Honorary president for eighteen years 'Always missed' Hamish Brown: A Scottish Graveyard Miscellany. Exploring the Folk Art of Scotland's Gravestones. Birlinn; 2008
morthouse A morthouse (the name implies it) houses the dead, but only for a short period of time. In the days of body-snatcher and resurrectionists (19th century) who would dig up freshly buried courses to sell them for good profit to surgeons for clinical studies, they were a means of protecting the dead. They were... Continue Reading →
Erected to the memory of John McFarlane Drown'd in the Water of Leith By a few affectionate friends Hamish Brown: A Scottish Graveyard Miscellany. Exploring the Folk Art of Scotland's Gravestones. Birlinn; 2008
Alexander Grant (Alasdair Mac Iain Bhain) was a poet and a soldier. He grew up near Invermoriston in the small and remote village of Achnaconeran (Achadh nan Conbhairean) to the west of Loch Ness, to be a gifted man of sensitivity and strength, a man of thought as well as action, a bard and a... Continue Reading →
Strontian, Ardnamurchan, the Parish church built in the 1820s by Thomas Telford, one of 32 churches built in thinly populated areas, but there is more to be found on this graveyard. The gravestone of Roderick and Mary Gordon and their sons Adam and James sits here, quietly telling a sad story. The Gordon family lived... Continue Reading →
Here lie the bones of Elisabeth Charlotte, Born a virgin, died a harlot. She was aye a virgin at seventeen, A remarkable thing in Aberdeen. Raymond Lamont-Brown: Scottish Epitaphs. Edinburgh, Chambers; 1990
In 1746 the 18-year old Donald Livingstone (Domnhull Molach) rescued the Stewart of Appin regimental banner at the Battle of Culloden and lived to tell the tale. Even though he was shot various times. The Livingstones weren’t the traditional standard bearers for the Stewarts of Appin. That honour belonged to Carmichaels and was passed down... Continue Reading →
This is certainly one of the oldest cemeteries in Scotland. People buried their dead here for 4000 years and the markers of these tombs remain to this day, like headstones on a contemporary cemetery. A reminder of a distant and little known past. sacred site These Bronze Age graves near Inverness are amongst the best... Continue Reading →
An elegant spa town, a fake beard, a murdered mother-in-law and a family tragedy. Sometimes, the darkest stories leave no graves to visit. Baden-Baden, Germany. Baden-Baden is famous for its thermal baths, grand hotels, casino and beautiful parks. But behind the elegant façades of this small German spa town lies a surprisingly dark criminal history. […]
In the heart of Rastatt lies a quiet green space beside the modern clinic. At first glance, the Alter Friedhof Rastatt – the Old Cemetery of Rastatt – appears to be little more than a peaceful park. Yet beneath its trees rests one of the most politically charged memorial sites in Baden. Here, the stories […]
Lindisfarne graveyard on Holy Island, Northumberland, symbolizes centuries of faith and history, overlooking Lindisfarne Priory’s ruins. A significant site since the 7th century, it holds the remains of islanders and clergy. The graveyard fosters reflection and connection to St Cuthbert, attracting visitors seeking inspiration and tranquility amid a sacred legacy.
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