There is something special and sad about the first body interred in a graveyard. Local legend has it, that the first body in the graveyard of Quarff on Shetland Mainland was a stranger. Nobody knew who he was. A dead body the sea had brought in. The local fishermen buried him more or less where... Continue Reading →
Red is a rare colour in graveyards. The shade of life, blood, pain and hate. Graveyards have none of that. They are grey or black, they are death and decay. Grave. And still, there are spots of red if one cares to look closely. Light feathery red, deep heavy red, alarmingly radiant red. Red is... Continue Reading →
For me, churchyards have an unfathomable attraction at any time. In fact, the attraction intensifies with the passing of time and it changes with time: time of the year or time of the day. Graveyards are essentially about time - time lost and time eternal. The beautiful and cold stillness of winter is thought inspiring.... Continue Reading →
It seems appropriate to go upwards, along a narrow winding path, all the way towards the top of the hill that is known as the Hill of the Angels or Cnoc nan Aingeal, Knochan. It is an old burial ground near the beautifully set parish church of Kirkton, overlooking the Sound of Sleat and the... Continue Reading →
The sun seems to shine more golden and bright along Loch Long, one of the beauty spots of Kintail. It has a quiet and peaceful feel to it. An old single track road leads along the shores of Loch Long towards Camus Luinie. To visit the graveyard of Kililan one needs to access a large... Continue Reading →
They had in fact every reason to feel safe: they were women, they all belonged to the royal family of Scotland and they had found shelter in a wee chapel dedicated to Saint Duthac, the patron Saint of Tain, a holy man very much revered in medieval Scotland. But they were not safe, not safe... Continue Reading →
It was one of these late summer days when Scotland feels the coldest: a grey drizzle spread across the country and brought a chill to the bones. Night-time was near and it felt far from reasonable to get out of the car and take pictures of the graveyard in Ardersier. But there it had turned... Continue Reading →
Cold, red sandstone against the pale blue water of the Moray Firth: Fort George. Mighty resting place, where the walls tower massively over a vast star-shaped ground. At the back of the promontory, close to the sea, is the garrison’s chapel. It commemorates the dead of the past as well as the present. Fort... Continue Reading →
If ever there was holy ground, it surely is to be found on a small island of striking beauty and breathtaking light in the Ross of Mull: Iona, burial-place of the kings. To many Iona is an overcoming experience. It was here that Christianity made its way into Scotland. Irish monasteries have existed for centuries... Continue Reading →
The story of Rob Roy MacGregor is well known in Scotland, it is part of the old lore, history and childhood. A man who had joined the Jacobite Rising at the age of 18 and was badly wounded in the battle of Glen Shiel 1719. He was a fighter and a cattleman, selling rich Lowlanders... 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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