It is the year 1845. Leipzig celebrates the première of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s Violin Concerto in E minor, the Glasgow School of Art opens its elaborate doors, “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe is published and anaesthesia is used in childbirth for the first time. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visit Wartburg Castle in Germany.... Continue Reading →
Vision is an essential part of greatness. Being able to see what others can not makes all the difference and even more so, having the courage to see it through. Men and women with such a powerful vision are still remembered long after their death. Alexander Mackenzie was such a daring man with a vision... Continue Reading →
This is a tale of power, politics, deceit and injustice. This gruesome tale is true, some parts will never be brought to light but many say The Appin Murder is one of the biggest if not the biggest miscarriage of justice in the history of Scotland. The law made James of the Glen a murderer,... Continue Reading →
The small green island on the northern shore of Loch Awe is a beauty in itself. Hidden under the foliage of small trees and bushes the ancient chapel's walls have crumbled. The ruin is surrounded by graves, old and new. Inishail (the Island of Repose) is the traditional burial ground for the MacArthur clan. green... 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 →
Passionate visitors of graves and graveyards often have favourite stones - stones with ornate decoration, touching epitaphs or extravagant lichen covering, stones that hold personal memories. A stone can express many things for those who erect them as well as for those who them. But stones can also be tools. There is a certain species... Continue Reading →
Craig Dunain, old lunatic asylum Inverness Do places keep a sense of pain, a sense of the fear and anger that was once felt there? Can fear linger in stone and wood? Can a house keep the horror that once was felt there? Does an abandoned lunatic asylum still hold some sense of insanity?... 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 →
St. Mary’s Chapel yard in Inverness, an ancient burial ground right in the heart of the Highland’s capital, is but rarely visited, being somehow hidden behind high walls. Chapel Yard is one of three ancient burial grounds in Inverness and probably dates back as far as 1233. In the early days two churches with the... 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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