The Avernish Five, the third installment in the Highland Crime series, features DI Robert Campbell and translator Isabel Hartmann investigating a local man's suicide that reveals five bodies in a croft. This Tartan Blue mystery intertwines past and present, focusing on psychological depth in Scotland's Highland landscapes. Available as an eBook and paperback.
Most of the headstones are indecipherable now. Time has taken its toll amongst the engravings. But there is one war grave among the withered stones, to the memory of John William Campbell of the Royal Engineers, who died January 3rd, 1944, at the age of 27. A man mourned by his family and friends in this remote and scarcely populated part of the country close to the river Thurso.
This place is so absolutely not what it looks like and bears far more depth, surprises and secrets than most of the graveyards I have been to in Scotland. And believe me, I have been to a lot.
Sutherland, who had some presentiment that he would never return, stretched himself on the ground in the old churchyard of Berriedale before setting out, and caused two stones to be fixed, the one at his head and the other at his feet, which were to be seen for ages after but are not to be distinguished any more.
Preview in new tab Aberlady's history Aberlady goes back a long way. There are no signs of any Roman setlements. However, it appears that there was an Iron Age settlement taking advantage of the sheltered coastal location provided by the bay. Aberlady also has a long history of smuggling. Archaeological findings support the theory that... Continue Reading →
Lindores Abbey is now not more than a few crumbling walls. However, signs within the romantic ruin point to a darker past. Many a death has occurred here. Many bodies were take to this place. This was once a graveyard to the rich, the famous and the ill-fated. These are the horrors of Lindores Abbey.
Scottish battles, like many other battles, scarred the nation’s memory for a number of reasons: many losses suffered on one or both sides, the exploits of individuals, or the length of time they raged. Prestonpans was one of the shortest battles in Scottish history, lasting just under ten minutes.
How in an epic fight the chief of Clan Cameron killed a fully armed redcoat without a weapon at hand.
The list is long. So many have died in this area. They perished hiking, driving, training. They died on Ben Nevis, in Glen Nevis and in the surrounding area. They died rock climbing, in avalanches, falling from ridges, crashing into mountains with planes, they were struck by lightning, they drowned, they were killed by explosions. Some of those are buried in Glen Nevis cemetery opposite the Glen Nevis Visitors Center. Helicopters and mountain range rescue teams are operating all year round.
There’s not much left of the ancient graveyard, a few stones possibly marker stones in the past, an overgrown stone wall that could have been an enclosure for graves or for sheep, a giant ash tree bearing the sign: And of course, there is the cairn, erected by Canadian descendants of the MacMillans that once live here and emigrated to Canada after the disastrous defeat at Culloden in 1746.
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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