Nestled in central Edinburgh, Greyfriars Kirk is a Church of Scotland church with a history stretching back to 1602. The church itself has been renovated and restored, but its most famous feature is the ancient Greyfriar’s Kirkyard, a cemetery surrounding the church.
It is the burial site of many famous individuals such as James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, Regent of Scotland and Mary Erskine, founder of the Mary Erskine School. From the unmarked graves to the elaborate seventeenth century memorials of the rich and famous, the churchyard burial ground echoes with history and mystery.
Said to be haunted by ghosts and poltergeists, the Kirkyard is probably even more well-known for the story of Greyfriar’s Bobby. Bobby was a Skye Terrier who spent 14 years guarding the grave of his master, John Gray, until the dog’s own death in 1872. He is buried outside the consecrated grounds.
For peaceful surroundings steeped in local lore, Greyfriar’s Kirk is a must-see location for visitor and native alike.