Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh, Scotland

Greyfriars Kirkyard

The Mackenzie Mausoleum

Burials have been taking place at Greyfriars Kirkyard since the late 16th century, and a number of notable Edinburgh residents are interred here. The Kirkyard is operated by City of Edinburgh Council in liaison with a charitable trust, which is linked to but separate from the church. The Kirkyard and its monuments are protected as a category A listed building.

 

The most notable, however, is that of the Mackenzie Mausoleum - the final resting place of Sir George Mackenzie (1636-1691). He was someone who was both admired and loathed, and also known as Bluidy Mackenzie for the cruelty that he subjected the Covenanters to. As a result, his ghost is said to occupy this tomb.

 

Following an incident in 1998 when a homeless man broke into the tomb to seek shelter, a series of "attacks" by what has been termed the "Mackenzie Poltergeist" have been documented.

 

Pictured left is the Mackenzie Mausoleum courtesy of Jonathan Oldenbuck.

Greyfriars Kirk,

Greyfriars Place,

Edinburgh,

EH1 2QQ.

 

For further information, please visit:

www.greyfriarskirk.com

 

For further information, please read Haunted Britain by Richard Jones, Haunted Edinburgh by Rupert Matthews and Haunted Edinburgh by Alan Murdie.

Location

Visitor Information

Greyfriars Kirkyard is the graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland.

It is located at the southern edge of the Old Town, adjacent to George Heriot's School.

Pictured is Greyfriars Kirkyard courtesy of Carlos Delgado. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.