Edinburgh, Scotland - Greyfriars Kirkyard

Located just a few blocks away from the Royal Mile, Greyfriars Kirkyard is one of the most famous cemeteries in the world. There's a gorgeous church in the middle (I forgot to get any photos of the inside). These days, it's known in popular culture for two reasons:

It is the burial place of Greyfriars Bobby. This dog is one of the inspirations for the terribly sad and incredibly sweet dog story in Futurama - the tale is that a dog waited and guarded his owner's grave for 14 years after his owner's death. There is a memorial inside of the cemetery, as well as a statue outside near a namesake bar (shown further down the post).
It's common knowledge that J.K. Rowling wrote much of the first Harry Potter book while in a cafe just a couple of blocks away from Greyfriars. She sourced many of the names by walking through the graveyard and looking at the headstones. You can purchase a map and use it to find the different headstones - which of course, we did! Most of the graves are shown below.

Man in tan jacket leans on stone wall labeled "Flodden Wall" amid greenery. Metal barriers present, mood is calm and contemplative. — The Flodden Wall was built in the 1500s, and was the city wall of Edinburgh. This is one of the remnants of the wall.

Old stone grave with engraved text, surrounded by trees and a towering church spire in the distance under a cloudy sky. Peaceful mood. — The Scott Monument (dedicated to Sir Walter Scott) can be seen in the background - it's Victorian Gothic, and I absolutely think it's amazing. I'll have a better photo of it in a later post.

A statue of a dog surrounded by red and orange flowers, located in front of an old stone building. The text reads "EDINBURGH" and "Greyfriars." — Here's the gravestone for Greyfriars Bobby, the aforementioned terrier who waited by his owner's grave for 14 years. The grave of that owner is just beside this memorial. We left a stick at the memorial, as so many other visitors have.

Gothic spire with red accents rises against a cloudy sky. Foreground has an old stone building, surrounded by green foliage. Peaceful mood. — I just absolutely love the Scott Memorial, especially with this view over a grave that has a lot of character.

Old stone grave markers in a cemetery surrounded by trees and grass. The monuments are inscribed with names and dates. Somber mood. — This is the gravestone of the Potters, after whom Harry was named.

Woman in a green shirt and gray jacket stands by a stone wall, adjusting glasses, holding a map. Plaque above her reads "William McGonagall." — Big McGonagall vibes over here.

Weathered gravestone on a stone wall with faded inscriptions and overgrown grass. Mottled stone backdrop, solemn mood. — Sirius Black was presumably named after this grave.

We also saw Moody, Cruikshanks, and a few others not pictured.

Statue of a small dog atop a brown fountain in a city street. People walk past historical stone buildings. Blue sky with some clouds. — This is the statue for Greyfriars Bobby. Passersby rub the nose, which has worn off the patina.

A person with curly hair touches a small dog statue in a cobblestone square. Stone building and lamp post in the background. — A giving Bobby a pet. (I could not actually reach him.)

Greyfriars Bobby pub with a dog statue in front. People walk by the stone building adorned with flowers. Moody, overcast sky. — This good boy deserves his own pub.

Person in pink jacket and blue pants leans against stone wall with engraved text. Background has greenery. Calm expression and casual setting. — A really, really was excited to get her photo taken in front of Thomas Riddell's grave, the inspiration for Tom Riddle. I'm choosing to read into that.

Edinburgh, Scotland - Greyfriars Kirkyard - August 2024

Recent Posts

Comments

Indecent Exposure