St Giles’ Files Ep 25: ‘Gobbled Up and Cobbled Up’: St Giles’ Lost Graveyard

To round off Halloween, Ciara asks: ‘where did our graveyard go?’ Tune in for some history on the cathedral’s early burial techniques, the fate of some unlucky Covenanters and Royalists, and even a few spooky tales…

Further Information

The gravestone in the Preston Aisle

The gravestone in the Preston Aisle

This picture shows the signing of the National Covenant in Greyfriars Kirkyard (https://greyfriarskirk.com/)

This picture shows the signing of the National Covenant in Greyfriars Kirkyard (https://greyfriarskirk.com/)

The Old Tollbooth. St Giles’ is at the right of this picture by Alexander Naysmith.

The Old Tollbooth. St Giles’ is at the right of this picture by Alexander Naysmith.

A here are a few maps to illustrate how Edinburgh became increasingly built up:

https://maps.nls.uk/view/00003284  – a map of Edinburgh in the 1580s, showing more room around St Giles 

https://maps.nls.uk/view/102190447 map from 1647, showing it to be much more built up 

https://maps.nls.uk/view/117746165 1809-10 showing the Old Parliament buildings