It does signify in death and in life, not everybody has one but many a clan is proud to display it: a motto. It is in many cases of high heraldic importance and often originates in an important event of the past but it can also be a maxim, a rule or a guiding line... Continue Reading →
St Baedan above Ardchattan A church, that hasn’t been used for well over 300 years and an old burial ground that was last used in the late 19th century, a place nearly forgotten right next to one of the more prominent sights of Argyll: Ardchattan Priory, burnt down by Cromwell's troops in 1654. A few... Continue Reading →
A royal burial is a rare and special event in the history of a nation, a political cut after which a new chapter of history needs to be written. That goes without a doubt for most kings, not only the Scottish ones. Royal graves therefore seem of special importance, because they symbolise so much more... Continue Reading →
The Aberlemno sculptured stones are a main tourist attraction in Angus. Ancient and easily accessible right by the side of a small country road, the B9134. Beautifully carved with intricate detail and magical names (Serpent Stone) they date back more than a thousand years. Impressive as well as intricate and not to be missed. A... Continue Reading →
overcoming finality on Acharacle graveyard Death is final. But some graveyards on closer inspection show sings of overcoming that ultimate finality. Human endeavor is a powerful force that can last longer than a lifetime. In a way everything on a graveyard is there to overcome finality: gravestones not only mark graves, they are solid reminders... Continue Reading →
It is a hard guess how many Highlanders died on the moors of their country, it must have been thousands over the centuries. Large as their number might be, the agony and fear of the warriors dying in battle will have been a very personal experience, lives ended on the moors. They died for their... Continue Reading →
If you travel to Forres, as Shakespeare’s Macbeth did in the Scottish play, you will come across a strange, supernatural thing. Just like he did. Not in a cavern with a boiling cauldron in the middle, not on a wild eerie heath but right in the present everyday normality in front of Forres’ police station:... Continue Reading →
Glen Strathfarrar is a very remote Glen in the Scottish Highlands. Visitors with a car are only allowed access at certain times (especially in winter), a potholed single track road leads deep into the mountains. The glen still has all the unspoiled beauty of a picture book Highland scenery with all the harshness, that comes... Continue Reading →
Truth is eternal. Death is the last truth. The end of every man’s life is the common denominator. We all share and face eventually one truth: death. Man’s longing for individuality and uniqueness on the other hand generate a need to differ, even in death. Graveyards are in most Middle European cultures a very diverse... Continue Reading →
Soaring seagulls disturb the quiet evening blue with their shrieks. The distant waves lick the Glenelg shores in constant splashes. A peaceful place in quiet weather but the Sound of Sleat is a dangerous beast; a harsh and hostile wilderness difficult to be tamed. Wildlife is plenty. The Atlantic is brimming with fish, seals and otters. Quiet lie... Continue Reading →
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.
Bamburgh, with its dramatic coastal setting and rich history, has revealed yet another fascinating chapter of its past. Decades of dedicated research by the Bamburgh Research Project and Durham University, in collaboration with the Bamburgh Castle Estate, have shed light on the lives of Anglo-Saxons who inhabited this area over a thousand years ago. The […]
Grace Darling, born in 1815, became famous for her courageous sea rescue of Forfarshire survivors in 1838. She passed away in 1842 and is buried in Bamburgh, where a monument marks her legacy. Celebrated in literature and art, her story inspires future generations, symbolizing bravery and compassion.
Graveyards of Scotland 
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