Greyfriars Kirkyard

What you will find

The kirkyard holds some of Edinburgh's best-known burials, including the scholar George Buchanan, the lawyer Sir George Mackenzie, the Gaelic poet Duncan Ban MacIntyre, William McGonagall and George Heriot. Look out for the low iron cages known as mortsafes, put over graves in the early 19th century to keep body-snatchers away. Near the entrance is the headstone of Greyfriars Bobby, put up in 1981, and his owner John Gray lies on the eastern path.

Covenanters and the locked prison

After the Battle of Bothwell Brig in 1679, captured Covenanters were held in a field on the south side of the kirkyard, now called the Covenanters' Prison. The area has been locked since around 1990. You can see it by arrangement with the kirk's guides during opening hours, or after dark on a commercial night tour that also takes in the Black Mausoleum.

Planning your visit

Because the gates are open 24 hours a day, an early-morning walk is the quietest way to see the monuments in good light. Allow 30 to 45 minutes to wander. Greyfriars Kirk itself has its own museum and tours, and the National Museum of Scotland is a two-minute walk away on Chambers Street, so the two combine easily into a half-day in the Old Town.

Highlights

• Laid out in 1562 beside Greyfriars Kirk
• Iron mortsafes from the body-snatching era
• Greyfriars Bobby's headstone and John Gray's grave
• Covenanters' Prison, linked to 1679

Good to know

• The kirkyard is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
• The Covenanters' Prison is locked; access is by arrangement with the kirk's guides or on a night tour.
• The kirkyard is owned and maintained by the City of Edinburgh Council.

Frequently asked questions