Dornoch Cathedral and graveyard Elizabeth Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland, is certainly one of the most notorious and controversial figures of Scottish history. She was incredibly rich, owned most of the county of Sutherland although she was rarely present. She was born in Edinburgh in 1765 and was buried in Dornoch Cathedral in 1839. So was... 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 story of maltreatment, anger, revenge and the thirst for power - a story about clan men and a disastrous battle. At the center of this story emerges a woman - Sidheag, sister of the MacLeod of Lewis and wife of Angus Mackay, 6th of Strathnaver. A woman trying to live within the... Continue Reading →
The River Cassley is one of Sutherland's many, where in autumn Atlantic salmon will follow its primordial urge to return upstream to its birthplace, jumping from rock pool to rock pool, never giving up in its potentially deadly determination to give life. New life. Life! The powerful fish will pass a graveyard on its journey... Continue Reading →
A shudder, a draft, cold sweat, a hunch of death, a tickling of the spine - the feeling that someone is walking over ones grave. A familiar sensation to many of us. As is the phrase. "Someone walked over my grave!" My grave? A definite point on the map of time? The final grid? My... Continue Reading →
Humidity is permeating everything. Winter on Contin Island. The BlackWater runs close to the graveyard of Contin, a small but old parish in Ross-shire. The sun its seems has vanished for good. Grey is the prevalent colour. People have worshipped here for over a thousand years, worshipped and died. Many in the 15th century when... Continue Reading →
The Battle of Culloden was a terrible turning point in the history of Scotland. For many it felt like the devastation of a nation. Short as it was (it lasted no more than an hour) it was deadly and consequential in the extreme. On a political level but also on a very private one. So... Continue Reading →
The murder of John Stewart, Lord of Lorn on his wedding day, the killing of his murderer Alan MacDougall in battle and a graveyard for the line of the legitimized bastard – the dramatic birth of the Stewarts of Appin. At the beginning of the Clan Stewart of Appin was lust, maybe even love. It... Continue Reading →
This is an ancient monastery, founded nearly 800 years ago by Duncan Mac Dougall, Lord of Lorn. thriving on the shores of Glen Etive it was the center of ecclesiastical life in this area for centuries until Cromwell’s troops burned it down in 1654. The adjacent house and beautiful garden are in private ownership. Here,... 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 →
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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