One of my unexpected highlights of our time in Edinburgh for Hogmany was exploring Greyfriars Cemetery, thanks to an amazing setting and an even better spontaneous guided tour. The cemetery was on my list of places to visit as I’m a Harry Potter fan and I’d read that J.K.Rowling got some of her inspiration for the books from actual gravestones. Plus I have a slightly morbid fascination with exploring cemeteries – I love reading the stories and getting a feel for some of the history of a place through them.
Our first stop was to pet the statute of Greyfriars Bobby. You may have heard of this faithful little doggie, who kept vigil at his master’s grave for 14 years after his death and became a mascot for the area. Such a cute story!
Sarah-Rose and I with the statute
We began wandering the cemetery, which is in a beautiful spot on a hill with views across to Edinburgh Castle. Although we didn’t spot any names that we recognised, it was still very interesting wandering through the graves.
The view of Edinburgh Castle from the cemetery
However, our experience was about to go up several notches. As we turned to leave, an smliing elderly man with a twinkle in his eye asked us if we were looking for anything in particular. We explained that we were just looking around, and he introduced himself as Wallace, one of the cemetery’s caretakers, and offered to show us around. We quickly accepted, and so began a fantastic tour! Originally the site of a Franciscan monastery, the Kirk was built in 1561. The Cemetery has seen so much of the city’s history – everything from grave-robbery to the incarceration of the Covenantors, who began the Presbyterian movement. It is also the site of part of the Floden Wall, which was built by the Scottish to protect the city from the approaching English.
A mortsafe, used to protect freshly-buried bodies from grave-robbers
Wallace knew his audience, and interwove his fascinating history lesson with lots of Harry Potter tidbits. He explained how J K Rowling (a “lovely lady“) used to walk through the cemetery to work at the school on the other side, and pointed out names that will be familiar to any fan of the series, including McGonagall and Moody. Sadly, Wallace also explained that many grave-markers of the other names, like Severus and Cedric Diggory, had been stolen by vandals, who also took a vicious delight in knocking over headstones. Apparently, J K Rowling had offered to pay for them to be restored, but the caretakers believe that it will just continue. So sad that people can be so needlessly awful, not to mention disrespectful of the real people whose graves they are desecrating.
There was one famous name that they hadn’t managed to destroy… that of Tom Riddle!
I wondered what Wallace was carrying in his white plastic bag, slightly at odds with his immaculate appearance. He soon revealed that it contained a gift from the Warner Brothers movie studio representatives who had visited the cemetery – the wand used by Voldemort in the shooting of the final movies! Call me geeky, but I thought that was really cool, and a nice gesture by the studio. Wallace explained with a touch of pride that he only brought it out on special occasions, but he knew there would be plenty of visitors to the cemetery over Hogmanay.
The Edinburgh Cemetery was fascinating to visit, with all the history it bears testament to, and the added bonus of the Harry Potter links. If you visit, make sure to keep an eye out for Wallace – if you’re lucky you may just get an amazing tour from this lovely man.
Bits & Pieces
Entry to the Cemetery is free, and Wallace and the other volunteer guides simply ask for a donation to the upkeep of this beautiful churchyard – well worth it in my opinion!
