Even though I always had Dean Cemetery on my list of cemeteries to visit in Edinburgh, it always seemed a distant second to other more well-known cemeteries, like Greyfriars Kirkyard. Yet this cemetery turned out to be a hidden treasure and certainly Continue reading “Site 188: Edinburgh’s Dean Cemetery”
One of the most iconic places to visit in Edinburgh is its castle, which dominates the skyline from almost everywhere you go in the city. The castle itself is interesting to visit in and of its own right – including the prison where many prisoners were kept, Continue reading “Site 187: Edinburgh Castle’s Dog Cemetery”
As I was walking towards Edinburgh Castle, a cemetery at the base of the hill caught my eye and I knew I would have to go there once my visit to the top of the hill was finished. This was of course St Cuthbert’s Burial Ground, a cemetery that has been Continue reading “Site 186: Edinburgh’s St. Cuthbert’s Burial Ground”
Edinburgh has its fair share of burial grounds, and in somewhat reverse order I visited the Old Calton Burial Ground after visiting the New one. Due to some of the monuments in the cemetery (the Martyrs’ Monument and David Hume’s mausoleum), Continue reading “Site 186: Edinburgh’s Old Calton Burial Ground”
I know that it probably makes more sense to visit the old burial ground before the new one, but it just happened that as I made my way up Calton Hill I ended up at the New Calton Burial Ground first. This cemetery is not far from the Old Calton Burial Ground Continue reading “Site 185: Edinburgh’s New Calton Burial Ground”
Greyfriars Kirkyard is probably the most well-known of Edinburgh’s cemeteries, and thus was the first stop of the day for me. It was already full of tourists – both individuals and large groups – by the time I arrived. Like many of the more famous cemeteries Continue reading “Site 184: Edinburgh’s Greyfriars Kirkyard”
So, you’ve built a coffin or a casket, but what next? Basically all you have is a wooden box. There is no lining, no handles, no decoration. Who do turn to for all this stuff (known as coffin furniture)? Enter the Coffin Works. These were businesses that Continue reading “Site 183: Birmingham’s Coffinworks Museum”
The oldest cemetery in Birmingham* was only a block or two away from Warstone Lane Cemetery, and when I arrived I was greeted with a riot of colour. Being spring, all the bluebells were in bloom across the UK, but it was here that I was bombarded with, Continue reading “Site 182: Birmingham’s Key Hill Cemetery”
With a few days in Birmingham for a conference, I used my free day to go cemetery exploring and the first one I visited was the Warstone Lane Cemetery. This is a lovely cemetery on a small hill in the Jewellery Quarter of the city. Big grey clouds threatened Continue reading “Site 181: Birmingham’s Warstone Lane Cemetery”
stone and dust 