St. Cuthbert's Cemetery

St. Cuthbert's cemetery or kirkyard, is another one of Edinburgh's cool old cemeteries, with great views of the castle looming overhead. The oldest headstone is dated 1606. 

A taphophile is a person interested in cemeteries and gravestones. A tombstone tourist is a person that has a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries, epitaphs, gravestone rubbing, photography, art, and history of famous deaths.

I guess I'm a little of both. The older the cemetery and the bigger the headstone the better. Cemeteries are beautiful, peaceful, and a window to the past. I love reading the names and inscriptions. I like to acknowledge people that used to be here. In a noisy world, I like to walk amongst the quiet.

St. Cuthbert's cemetery was a favorite of grave robbers and body snatchers, to curb this heinous but lucrative practice, 8-foot walls and a watchtower were built in 1827, which is now rented out as office space!

Doctors and medical schools would pay money for corpses to use for their education and medical research. William Burke and William Hare, were Irish immigrants living in Edinburgh, that became notorious body snatchers, eventually resorting to murder to make money selling the bodies. There have been several movies made about the pair.

In 1841, a train tunnel was built underneath the back part of the cemetery closer to the castle. Many graves had to be moved. Many headstones were destroyed. 

St. Cuthbert's church on the grounds here was destroyed four times. Agatha Christie married her second husband here. I haven't been inside of it yet. 

St. Cuthbert's Church in the background.

St. Cuthbert's Church

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