Old Calton Cemetery
Encyclopedia
Old Calton Cemetery is a graveyard in Edinburgh
, Scotland
. It is located on Calton Hill, to the north-east of the city centre. The burial ground was opened in 1718, and is the resting place of several notable Edinburgh persons, including philosopher David Hume
, publisher William Blackwood
and clergyman Dr Robert Candlish
. It is also the site of the Political Martyrs' Monument, an obelisk erected to the memory of a number of political reformers. The burial ground was altered following the construction of Waterloo Place in 1819, which divided the graveyard into two sections. Along with Edinburgh's other graveyards, Old Calton is managed by City of Edinburgh Council. The cemetery and its monuments are protected as a category A listed building.
Many old legends belong to the hill, most notably that of The Fairy Boy of Leith, who was said to drum at night on the hill, to provide music for the ancient spirits belonging there. From the earliest times it was a hanging ground for criminals, and these were buried on the hill in pre-consecrated days.
On the north side of the hill, a former hollow (now built over) at Greenside Place, was a natural (if rather steep) amphitheatre, and was a traditional site for jousting, fairs, open air theatre etc. It was the first place of performance for David Lyndsay
's 16th century play Ane Pleasant Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis
.
In May 1518 the Carmelite Friars
(known as White Friars and locally based at South Queensferry
), were granted lands by Royal Charter, including Calton Hill, and built a small monastery at its base (roughly where the Calton Road access to Waverley Station
is currently). Monasteries were suppressed following the Scottish Reformation
of 1560, and this stood empty for 30 years before conversion in 1591 into a hospital for lepers and plague victims. Prior to this date a separate leper colony
had existed on the hill, tended by the friars, but these really required a better facility. Numbers had greatly increased in 1568, following an outbreak of plague. Infected persons had to spend 40 days here to be declared clear of the disease. Those 40 evenings give rise to the term quarantine
, from Franco-Scots quarant (40) e’en (evenings). The dead were buried in pits at the base of the hill. A gallows connected to the building was erected on Calton Hill, to deal with escapees. This was re-erected within the building enclosure when the hospital was formed. The gallows were also used on condemned witches, including Edinburgh’s self-confessed warlock, Major Thomas Weir
.
The lands passed to Lord Balmerino
, of Leith
, who as feudal laird
of the hill, granted them to the Trades of Calton, a craft guild of primarily shoemakers, in 1631. In 1669 Calton was given separate burgh
status. It was elevated to a burgh of barony
in 1725, which lasted until 1859, when it became officially part of Edinburgh.
In 1718 a burial ground was granted and walled off, remaining in the control of the Trades of Calton until 1788, when Edinburgh Town Council bought it, for wider burial use, and to aid access to the New Town
. The area was originally used for purposes other than just burial, and it acted as a village green, bleaching green and grazing area. The village of Calton stood on three sides; north, east and south. The west side was too steep to develop. Only the northern terrace survives, on the street now named Calton Hill.
Edinburgh expanded the graveyard onto the crags to the south and west, but left their projected road alignment clear. The new road, named Waterloo Place after the contemporary victory at Waterloo
, was approved in 1814 and built between 1815 and 1819. This road cut through the existing graveyard, requiring major removal of bodies and stones. Unusually for the period this was done with a high degree of decorum, bones being carefully grouped and wrapped for removal to New Calton Cemetery, 0.5 kilometre (0.310686368324903 mi) eastwards, where several of the more substantial stones were also re-erected. These transported stones belie the age of that cemetery, as it is odd to find 18th-century stones in a 19th-century cemetery. Due to the cut, a small section of the graveyard is isolated to the north side of Waterloo Place, and is accessed from Calton Hill. The building to its east, also on previously consecrated ground, was built by Edinburgh for the Trades of Calton as a Convening House, in partial compensation for the disruption of their loved ones.
The landscape was changed further in 1796 when the workers houses on the east side of the cemetery were demolished to build the Bridewell (debtor’s prison), of which only the governor’s house (1816) survives. Its remnant lower walls are still visible when viewing St Andrew's House from the south. The City Gaol (1815) was wholly obliterated by St Andrew's House when it was built.
In the 18th century, a wealthy Jew, not entitled to burial in Christian churchyards, reportedly paid 700 guineas to the Town Council to be interred on Calton Hill. As a result Jacob Isaac and his wife were interred in a small cave on the hill. Little evidence supported this story until 1990, when a visitor to the old observatory on Calton Hill spotted a large hole, and on investigation found the tomb.
movement, were brought to trial and deported, being charged with treason
for attempting to correspond with the French. Their true crime in the eyes of the judges was to push for universal suffrage, and the rights of the common man to control his destiny, i.e. voting rights for all, not just landowners. The men became known as the Chartist
Martyrs. Thomas Muir of Hunter’s Hill was their leading figure, and he, along with four others who followed him, was banished to Botany Bay
in Australia on 30 August 1793. The men went on to become prosperous citizens in that country.
The huge obelisk, clearly visible from many central Edinburgh viewpoints, is the focal point of Old Calton Cemetery, and was erected in their memory. The choice of this site is probably linked to the graveyards lack of affiliation to any church, and prominent position. There is no known connection between any of the martyrs and Calton parish. The inscription reads:
The Scottish Reform Act 1832
eventually brought about their aim, and the men were pardoned in 1838, but were not given their passage home so most stayed in Australia, and died there. The monument was erected some 50 years after their stand, but was inspired by the Reform Act brought about by their original actions.
, with a freed slave giving thanks at his feet. A bronze shield bears the old US flag, and is wreathed in thistles to the left, and cotton to the right. Two regimental flags lay furled, the battle being over. The black man holds a book, indicating that he is not only free, he is also now educated. This was the first statue to an American President in any country outwith the USA. It is the only statue of Lincoln in Scotland, and the only monument to the American Civil War
outwith the USA. The monument was erected at American expense to a small group of Scots (only one of whom, William Duff, is buried under the monument, the rest being nearby) to whom it felt indebted, and wished their graves to be marked, despite their later poverty. They had all fought for the Union
(the North) in the American Civil War. The inscription, "To preserve the jewel of liberty in the framework of Freedom" is a quotation from the writings of Abraham Lincoln.
Those interred and commemorated are:
The following appears in the Town Council records
It was the widow of Sgt Major MacEwan who originally initiated the request by writing a letter of complaint to the United States government.
-style frame, with a pediment
bearing a crest with two lions rampant. Two carved female figures flank the monument, exposing their breasts and holding a book open to view.
Another stone, dated 1762, bears a skull and the motto "Memento Mori
", with an hourglass lying on its side, indicating the sands of life not fully run, an early death, as well as crossed bones and crossed shovel and spade, signifying decay and burial, and insignia of a master shoemaker. It is inscribed "Here lyes Margrat Thomson, spous to James Forsyth, shoemecker in Calton. She died Apl 30th 1760 and aged 43 years & allso 8th of her children".
", he illustrated The Gentle Shepherd by Allan Ramsay
and importantly much of Robert Burns
' work. His grave was originally unmarked. The headstone was erected in 1874, almost 80 years after his death, by the Royal Scottish Academy
, and includes a profile medallion insert of his likeness.
(1711–1776), author of Treatise of Human Nature, was a household name across Europe in the 18th century, and a critical figure in the Scottish Enlightenment
. He was a strong influence on many other thinkers and public figures, Adam Smith
among them. However, his grave had to be guarded for 8 days after burial, due to strong public hostility towards him at the time of his death, largely due to his professed atheism
.
In his will Hume requested that a "Monument be built over my body ... with an Inscription containing only my Name and the Year of my Birth and Death, leaving it to Posterity to add the Rest." The tomb is a large cylindrical tower on the Edinburgh skyline. It was designed by Robert Adam
in 1777. Whilst Hume was not religious, leading to be buried in this non-denominational site, other family members did not hold his views. His niece is also interred here and she added a particularly Christian sentiment to her panel, which reads "Behold, I come quickly, thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ".
Hume's home, between 1771 and 1776, was relatively close by, on the corner of St David Street and St Andrew Square, but that location has never been visible from Hume's tomb (as some claim).
(1840–1869), a soldier awarded the Victoria Cross
for his infiltration of Taku Forts
during the Second China War. The medal was later stolen from his home and its whereabouts are unknown.
Charles Mackay (d.1857), comedian and actor, was particularly distinguished in his portrayal of the character of Baillie Nicol Jarvie, and other characters of Walter Scott
's invention. Mackay is allegedly the figure referred to in the phrase "the real McCoy
".
and Burns
".
whisky family. Haig is of most note for being instrumental in the enterprising promotion of whisky at the failure of the wine and brandy market in the late 19th century. As part of this venture he effectively invented blended whisky and turned whisky in Scotland
into a true industry rather than a practice simply supplying local needs. The family business later became United Distillers
. John Haig was the father of Field Marshal Lord Douglas Haig
, of World War One fame. The latter does not lie in this family vault but is buried at Dryburgh Abbey
.
(1806–1873) was a clergyman and leader of the Disruption of the Scottish Church in 1843
, when 470 ministers rose during the General Assembly, and left never to return due to growing differences of opinion on how the church was practicing. Together with Rev. Thomas Chalmers
he set up the Free Church of Scotland. Dr Candlish was previously minister of St George's Parish Church
. He was a fervent author of religious books, and became Moderator of the Free Church in 1861. The Free Churches lost their right to burial in the parish churchyards due to the split. Most new churches are in restricted urban areas and most lack burial ground. Consequently most Free Church members had to rely on cemeteries for burial. In this instance, Candlish has chosen to be buried in this more traditional, but still effectively non-denominational graveyard. His stone makes no mention of his achievements.
James Candlish, his father, was a medical lecturer in Edinburgh University and is also buried here. He was a friend of Robert Burns, who in 1791 described him as "the earliest friend, except me only brother, that I have on earth, and one of the worthiest fellows that ever any man called by the name of friend". Jean Smith, James’ wife and Robert's mother, was one of the "Belles of Mauchline" referred to by Burns.
RSA (1784–1858), was architect of the Royal High School
building on Regent Road, the Bank of Scotland on the Mound
, Physicians Hall on Queen Street, the Dean Gallery
, and many other notable buildings, mainly in Edinburgh and Ayrshire. He co-founded the Royal Scottish Academy
(RSA) in 1826. His monument is relatively recent and he was previously undeclared within his family vault. There is now a bronze plaque bearing his likeness on the rear wall of the vault, having been erected by the pupils of the Royal High School on the centenary of the building of the school, June 1929. The stone in front of this vault has interesting Masonic iconography.
Daniel Stewart (1741–1814) was the founder of Daniel Stewart's Hospital, one of Edinburgh’s leading schools. This later became Daniel Stewart's College before merging with another school to form Stewart's Melville College
. His sealed tomb has a heavy-studded timber door.
(1776–1834), publisher and magistrate, was the founder of the Edinburgh Encyclopedia
and Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine. He was Sir Walter Scott's publisher for many years. The tomb is an enclosed vault with decorative iron gate.
(1774–1827) was a rival of Blackwood, and also published Scott's work (Scott shopped around as he was not popular with publishers), advising himt to publish the Waverley novels
. Constable started to collect books from an early age, and was apprenticed to a bookseller at 14. By 1795 (aged 21) he had his own bookshop. In 1798 he began his notable career as a publisher. He founded Farmer's Magazine (1800), took over the Scots Magazine (1801), founded the Edinburgh Review
(1802) and obtained the publishing rights to the Encyclopedia Britannica (1812). The bankruptcy of Scott and the Ballantyne brothers
took Constable with them for a while, as all were linked. This large simplistic monument bears his head in bronze and the date of death but says nothing of his achievements.
Constable’s nephew lies some yards to the west against the dividing wall. He was a lawyer of no huge note, but the monument has an interesting detail. A small oval medallion at the base contains the motif of a caterpillar changing into a butterfly, symbolic of the soul leaving the body. The inscription is in Greek.
who died in the poorhouse and is buried in Canongate Churchyard, visible from the southern reaches of Old Calton. Such commissions were normal, as many architects specialised in funerary monuments. On this occasion Burns was less than happy, as he indicated in a letter: "Five pounds ten shillings per account, I owe Mr R Burn, architect, for erecting the stone over the grave of poor Fergusson. He was two years in erecting it after I had commissioned him for it, and I have been two years in paying him after he sent me his account, so he and I are quits!" Both William
and John Burn, his sons, were also eminent architects, and are also buried here, but with no specific memorial.
(1748–1819) was an important mathemetician and scientist of his day. A close friend of James Hutton
, he was brother to architect James Playfair
and engineer William Playfair
, as well as father of the architect William Henry Playfair
. This still unmarked grave stands immediately adjacent to Yelin's. Playfair's monument (designed by his son) stands on Calton Hill rather than on his grave, and can be seen from the north section of the graveyard.
("Indians") for some years (hence his nickname). He returned to Scotland and successfully sued Aberdeen Town Council for its part in his enslavement. This made him into a relatively rich man for his day. Partly backed by this cash he set up several enterprises, most notably the first Edinburgh Penny Post
in 1773, which was usefully linked to one of the world's first street directories. His unmarked grave lies to the north-east of the Martyr's Monument.
(1811–1882), Archbishop of Canterbury
, in memory of his nanny. Iron tablets, such as the one to John and David Paton, c. 1830, were in vogue for a decade or two, and it was not realised how badly these items would weather. This one is in surprisingly good condition, and is still legible.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is located on Calton Hill, to the north-east of the city centre. The burial ground was opened in 1718, and is the resting place of several notable Edinburgh persons, including philosopher David Hume
David Hume
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism. He was one of the most important figures in the history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment...
, publisher William Blackwood
William Blackwood
William Blackwood was a Scottish publisher who founded the firm of William Blackwood & Sons.Blackwood was born of humble parents in Edinburgh. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to a firm of booksellers in Edinburgh, and he followed his calling also in Glasgow and London for several years...
and clergyman Dr Robert Candlish
Robert Smith Candlish
Robert Smith Candlish , Scottish divine, was born at Edinburgh, and spent his early years in Glasgow, where he graduated in 1823....
. It is also the site of the Political Martyrs' Monument, an obelisk erected to the memory of a number of political reformers. The burial ground was altered following the construction of Waterloo Place in 1819, which divided the graveyard into two sections. Along with Edinburgh's other graveyards, Old Calton is managed by City of Edinburgh Council. The cemetery and its monuments are protected as a category A listed building.
History
The name Calton, according to the more Anglicised opinions, derives from "cold-town", due to its exposed position. This is clearly inaccurate, as the name predates any settlement thereon. It is more logically either Choille-dun (forested hill) or Cauldh-dun (black hill), both ancient Gaelic in origin.Many old legends belong to the hill, most notably that of The Fairy Boy of Leith, who was said to drum at night on the hill, to provide music for the ancient spirits belonging there. From the earliest times it was a hanging ground for criminals, and these were buried on the hill in pre-consecrated days.
On the north side of the hill, a former hollow (now built over) at Greenside Place, was a natural (if rather steep) amphitheatre, and was a traditional site for jousting, fairs, open air theatre etc. It was the first place of performance for David Lyndsay
David Lyndsay
Sir David Lyndsay of the Mount, was a Scottish Lord Lyon and poet of the 16th century, whose works reflect the spirit of the Renaissance.-Biography:...
's 16th century play Ane Pleasant Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis
Ane Pleasant Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis
A Satire of the Three Estates is a satirical morality play in Middle Scots, written by makar Sir David Lyndsay. The play was first performed outside in the playing field in June 1552 during the Midsummer holiday in Cupar, Fifeshire where the action took place under Castle Hill...
.
In May 1518 the Carmelite Friars
Carmelites
The Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or Carmelites is a Catholic religious order perhaps founded in the 12th century on Mount Carmel, hence its name. However, historical records about its origin remain uncertain...
(known as White Friars and locally based at South Queensferry
South Queensferry
South Queensferry , also called Queensferry, is a former Royal Burgh in West Lothian now part of the City of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located some ten miles to the north west of the city centre, on the shore of the Firth of Forth between the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge, approximately 8...
), were granted lands by Royal Charter, including Calton Hill, and built a small monastery at its base (roughly where the Calton Road access to Waverley Station
Edinburgh Waverley railway station
Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
is currently). Monasteries were suppressed following the Scottish Reformation
Scottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was Scotland's formal break with the Papacy in 1560, and the events surrounding this. It was part of the wider European Protestant Reformation; and in Scotland's case culminated ecclesiastically in the re-establishment of the church along Reformed lines, and politically in...
of 1560, and this stood empty for 30 years before conversion in 1591 into a hospital for lepers and plague victims. Prior to this date a separate leper colony
Leper colony
A leper colony, leprosarium, or lazar house is a place to quarantine leprous people.-History:Leper colonies or houses became widespread in the Middle Ages, particularly in Europe and India, and often run by monastic orders...
had existed on the hill, tended by the friars, but these really required a better facility. Numbers had greatly increased in 1568, following an outbreak of plague. Infected persons had to spend 40 days here to be declared clear of the disease. Those 40 evenings give rise to the term quarantine
Quarantine
Quarantine is compulsory isolation, typically to contain the spread of something considered dangerous, often but not always disease. The word comes from the Italian quarantena, meaning forty-day period....
, from Franco-Scots quarant (40) e’en (evenings). The dead were buried in pits at the base of the hill. A gallows connected to the building was erected on Calton Hill, to deal with escapees. This was re-erected within the building enclosure when the hospital was formed. The gallows were also used on condemned witches, including Edinburgh’s self-confessed warlock, Major Thomas Weir
Thomas Weir
Major Thomas Weir was a Scottish soldier and presumed occultist, executed for witchcraft.Weir was a Scottish Covenanter who professed a particularly strict form of Presbyterianism, and whose spoken prayers were popular and attracted visitors to his home in Edinburgh...
.
The lands passed to Lord Balmerino
Lord Balmerino
The title of Lord Balmerino was a title in the Peerage of Scotland; it was created in 1606 and forfeited in 1746 on the attainder and execution of the 6th Lord Balmerino in the Tower of London....
, of Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
, who as feudal laird
Laird
A Laird is a member of the gentry and is a heritable title in Scotland. In the non-peerage table of precedence, a Laird ranks below a Baron and above an Esquire.-Etymology:...
of the hill, granted them to the Trades of Calton, a craft guild of primarily shoemakers, in 1631. In 1669 Calton was given separate burgh
Burgh
A burgh was an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland and Northern England, usually a town. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burgh status was broadly analogous to borough status, found in the rest of the United...
status. It was elevated to a burgh of barony
Burgh of barony
A burgh of barony is a type of Scottish town .They were distinct from royal burghs as the title was granted to a tenant-in-chief, a landowner who held his estates directly from the crown....
in 1725, which lasted until 1859, when it became officially part of Edinburgh.
In 1718 a burial ground was granted and walled off, remaining in the control of the Trades of Calton until 1788, when Edinburgh Town Council bought it, for wider burial use, and to aid access to the New Town
New Town, Edinburgh
The New Town is a central area of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is often considered to be a masterpiece of city planning, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
. The area was originally used for purposes other than just burial, and it acted as a village green, bleaching green and grazing area. The village of Calton stood on three sides; north, east and south. The west side was too steep to develop. Only the northern terrace survives, on the street now named Calton Hill.
Edinburgh expanded the graveyard onto the crags to the south and west, but left their projected road alignment clear. The new road, named Waterloo Place after the contemporary victory at Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, was approved in 1814 and built between 1815 and 1819. This road cut through the existing graveyard, requiring major removal of bodies and stones. Unusually for the period this was done with a high degree of decorum, bones being carefully grouped and wrapped for removal to New Calton Cemetery, 0.5 kilometre (0.310686368324903 mi) eastwards, where several of the more substantial stones were also re-erected. These transported stones belie the age of that cemetery, as it is odd to find 18th-century stones in a 19th-century cemetery. Due to the cut, a small section of the graveyard is isolated to the north side of Waterloo Place, and is accessed from Calton Hill. The building to its east, also on previously consecrated ground, was built by Edinburgh for the Trades of Calton as a Convening House, in partial compensation for the disruption of their loved ones.
The landscape was changed further in 1796 when the workers houses on the east side of the cemetery were demolished to build the Bridewell (debtor’s prison), of which only the governor’s house (1816) survives. Its remnant lower walls are still visible when viewing St Andrew's House from the south. The City Gaol (1815) was wholly obliterated by St Andrew's House when it was built.
In the 18th century, a wealthy Jew, not entitled to burial in Christian churchyards, reportedly paid 700 guineas to the Town Council to be interred on Calton Hill. As a result Jacob Isaac and his wife were interred in a small cave on the hill. Little evidence supported this story until 1990, when a visitor to the old observatory on Calton Hill spotted a large hole, and on investigation found the tomb.
Martyr's Monument
In 1793 several members of The Friends of the People, an early universal suffrageUniversal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
movement, were brought to trial and deported, being charged with treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
for attempting to correspond with the French. Their true crime in the eyes of the judges was to push for universal suffrage, and the rights of the common man to control his destiny, i.e. voting rights for all, not just landowners. The men became known as the Chartist
Chartism
Chartism was a movement for political and social reform in the United Kingdom during the mid-19th century, between 1838 and 1859. It takes its name from the People's Charter of 1838. Chartism was possibly the first mass working class labour movement in the world...
Martyrs. Thomas Muir of Hunter’s Hill was their leading figure, and he, along with four others who followed him, was banished to Botany Bay
Botany Bay
Botany Bay is a bay in Sydney, New South Wales, a few kilometres south of the Sydney central business district. The Cooks River and the Georges River are the two major tributaries that flow into the bay...
in Australia on 30 August 1793. The men went on to become prosperous citizens in that country.
The huge obelisk, clearly visible from many central Edinburgh viewpoints, is the focal point of Old Calton Cemetery, and was erected in their memory. The choice of this site is probably linked to the graveyards lack of affiliation to any church, and prominent position. There is no known connection between any of the martyrs and Calton parish. The inscription reads:
The Scottish Reform Act 1832
Scottish Reform Act 1832
The Scottish Reform Act 1832 was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the election laws of Scotland. The act was passed at approximately the same time as the Reform Act 1832, which applied to England and Wales. The chief architects of the act were Francis Jeffrey and Henry...
eventually brought about their aim, and the men were pardoned in 1838, but were not given their passage home so most stayed in Australia, and died there. The monument was erected some 50 years after their stand, but was inspired by the Reform Act brought about by their original actions.
Scottish – American Soldiers Monument
A focal point of the graveyard, just in front of Hume’s tomb, this piece of statuary was erected in 1893. It depicts a standing figure of Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, with a freed slave giving thanks at his feet. A bronze shield bears the old US flag, and is wreathed in thistles to the left, and cotton to the right. Two regimental flags lay furled, the battle being over. The black man holds a book, indicating that he is not only free, he is also now educated. This was the first statue to an American President in any country outwith the USA. It is the only statue of Lincoln in Scotland, and the only monument to the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
outwith the USA. The monument was erected at American expense to a small group of Scots (only one of whom, William Duff, is buried under the monument, the rest being nearby) to whom it felt indebted, and wished their graves to be marked, despite their later poverty. They had all fought for the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
(the North) in the American Civil War. The inscription, "To preserve the jewel of liberty in the framework of Freedom" is a quotation from the writings of Abraham Lincoln.
Those interred and commemorated are:
- Sergeant Major John McEwan, Co H 65th Regt Illinois Yol Infantry
- William L Duff, Lt Col 2nd Illinois Regt of Artillery (died of wounds on return to Edinburgh)
- Robert Steedman, Co E 5th Regt Maine Infantry Volunteers
- James Wilkie, Co C 1st Michigan Cavalry
- Robert Ferguson, Co F 57th Regt New York Infantry Volunteers
- Alexander Smith, Co G 66th Regt New York Infantry Volunteers. (This name was added in 1993 following research)
The following appears in the Town Council records
It was the widow of Sgt Major MacEwan who originally initiated the request by writing a letter of complaint to the United States government.
Tradesmen's monuments
A number of 18th-century monuments to local tradesmen are interesting for their detailed carving. The largest and most elaborate of these is that of John Morton, heelmaker, who died in 1728, aged 54. Although a long inscription is given, the stone is more notable for its form and decoration. It has a porticoPortico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
-style frame, with a pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
bearing a crest with two lions rampant. Two carved female figures flank the monument, exposing their breasts and holding a book open to view.
Another stone, dated 1762, bears a skull and the motto "Memento Mori
Memento mori
Memento mori is a Latin phrase translated as "Remember your mortality", "Remember you must die" or "Remember you will die". It names a genre of artistic work which varies widely, but which all share the same purpose: to remind people of their own mortality...
", with an hourglass lying on its side, indicating the sands of life not fully run, an early death, as well as crossed bones and crossed shovel and spade, signifying decay and burial, and insignia of a master shoemaker. It is inscribed "Here lyes Margrat Thomson, spous to James Forsyth, shoemecker in Calton. She died Apl 30th 1760 and aged 43 years & allso 8th of her children".
David Allan
Even from an early age, the painter David Allan (1744–1796) showed artistic talent, being expelled from school for caricaturing a master. Known as "the Scottish HogarthHogarth
-People:* Burne Hogarth, American cartoonist, illustrator, educator and author* David George Hogarth, English archaeologist* Donald Hogarth, Canadian politician and mining financier* Paul Hogarth, English painter and illustrator...
", he illustrated The Gentle Shepherd by Allan Ramsay
Allan Ramsay (poet)
Allan Ramsay was a Scottish poet , playwright, publisher, librarian and wig-maker.-Life and career:...
and importantly much of Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
' work. His grave was originally unmarked. The headstone was erected in 1874, almost 80 years after his death, by the Royal Scottish Academy
Royal Scottish Academy
The Royal Scottish Academy is a Scottish organisation that promotes contemporary Scottish art. Founded in 1826, as the Royal Institution for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts, the RSA maintains a unique position in Scotland as an independently funded institution led by eminent artists and...
, and includes a profile medallion insert of his likeness.
David Hume
Historian and philosopher David HumeDavid Hume
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism. He was one of the most important figures in the history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment...
(1711–1776), author of Treatise of Human Nature, was a household name across Europe in the 18th century, and a critical figure in the Scottish Enlightenment
Scottish Enlightenment
The Scottish Enlightenment was the period in 18th century Scotland characterised by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. By 1750, Scots were among the most literate citizens of Europe, with an estimated 75% level of literacy...
. He was a strong influence on many other thinkers and public figures, Adam Smith
Adam Smith
Adam Smith was a Scottish social philosopher and a pioneer of political economy. One of the key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, Smith is the author of The Theory of Moral Sentiments and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations...
among them. However, his grave had to be guarded for 8 days after burial, due to strong public hostility towards him at the time of his death, largely due to his professed atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
.
In his will Hume requested that a "Monument be built over my body ... with an Inscription containing only my Name and the Year of my Birth and Death, leaving it to Posterity to add the Rest." The tomb is a large cylindrical tower on the Edinburgh skyline. It was designed by Robert Adam
Robert Adam
Robert Adam was a Scottish neoclassical architect, interior designer and furniture designer. He was the son of William Adam , Scotland's foremost architect of the time, and trained under him...
in 1777. Whilst Hume was not religious, leading to be buried in this non-denominational site, other family members did not hold his views. His niece is also interred here and she added a particularly Christian sentiment to her panel, which reads "Behold, I come quickly, thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ".
Hume's home, between 1771 and 1776, was relatively close by, on the corner of St David Street and St Andrew Square, but that location has never been visible from Hume's tomb (as some claim).
John Gray's stone
The very well-carved stone erected by Captain John Gray in memory of his parents, c.1760, is in excellent condition, and is arguably the most interesting in the whole burial ground. It is inscribed with his name and then a carved anchor, beneath which is a carving of a 3-masted ship, flying the ensign, shown in bold relief. Down the left side of the stone is a skull and bearded, male head wearing a cap (his father). From the mouth spill two ribbons, that link symbols of death: a scythe crossed with another implement (not recognisable) and crossed bones. Down the right side is a female head, wearing a bonnet (his mother). Ribbons from the bonnet link again to symbols of death: a spade crossed with a coffin, and again crossed bones (specifically thigh bones).James Leishman McDougal VC
This very recently erected stone commemorates James Leishman McDougalJohn McDougall (VC)
John Leishman McDougall VC was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
(1840–1869), a soldier awarded the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for his infiltration of Taku Forts
Taku Forts
The Dagu Forts , also called the Peiho Forts are forts located by the Hai River estuary, in Tanggu District, Tianjin municipality, in northeastern China. They are located 60 km southeast of the Tianjin urban center.-History:The first fort was built during the reign of the Ming Jiajing...
during the Second China War. The medal was later stolen from his home and its whereabouts are unknown.
Charles Mackay
Charles Mackay (d.1857), comedian and actor, was particularly distinguished in his portrayal of the character of Baillie Nicol Jarvie, and other characters of Walter Scott
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
's invention. Mackay is allegedly the figure referred to in the phrase "the real McCoy
The Real McCoy
"The real McCoy" is an idiom and metaphor used in much of the English-speaking world to mean "the real thing" or "the genuine article", e.g., "he's the real McCoy"...
".
William Woods
From about 1772 to 1802 William Woods was the favourite and leading actor on the Edinburgh stage. The main marble tablet is eroded and illegible, a new inscription has been added to the rear, which reads "Re-erected 1865 by a few gentlemen who thought it well that the last resting place should not be forgotten of one who contributed largely to the enjoyments of his fellow creatures and whose taste and talents recommended him to the friendship of the poets, FergussonRobert Fergusson
Robert Fergusson was a Scottish poet. After formal education at the University of St Andrews, Fergusson followed an essentially bohemian life course in Edinburgh, the city of his birth, then at the height of intellectual and cultural ferment as part of the Scottish enlightenment...
and Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
".
John Haig
The Scots distiller John Haig is buried here, together with several members of the HaigHaig (whisky)
-History:The dimpled bottle was then introduced in the 1890s. This bottle became so well-known and important to the brand that it was registered as a trademark in the USA in 1958 by Julius Lunsford....
whisky family. Haig is of most note for being instrumental in the enterprising promotion of whisky at the failure of the wine and brandy market in the late 19th century. As part of this venture he effectively invented blended whisky and turned whisky in Scotland
Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland.Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Single Grain Scotch Whisky, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky , Blended Grain Scotch Whisky, and Blended Scotch Whisky.All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three...
into a true industry rather than a practice simply supplying local needs. The family business later became United Distillers
United Distillers
United Distillers was a Scottish company formed in 1987 from combining the businesses of Distillers Company and Arthur Bell & Sons, both owned by Guinness. The company owned six Scotch whisky brands, which were relaunched as the Classic Malts range...
. John Haig was the father of Field Marshal Lord Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig
Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, KT, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCIE, ADC, was a British senior officer during World War I. He commanded the British Expeditionary Force from 1915 to the end of the War...
, of World War One fame. The latter does not lie in this family vault but is buried at Dryburgh Abbey
Dryburgh Abbey
Dryburgh Abbey, near Dryburgh on the banks of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders, was nominally founded on 10 November 1150 in an agreement between Hugh de Morville, Lord of Lauderdale and Constable of Scotland, and the Premonstratensian canons regular from Alnwick Abbey in Northumberland...
.
Dr Robert Candlish
Dr Robert CandlishRobert Smith Candlish
Robert Smith Candlish , Scottish divine, was born at Edinburgh, and spent his early years in Glasgow, where he graduated in 1823....
(1806–1873) was a clergyman and leader of the Disruption of the Scottish Church in 1843
Disruption of 1843
The Disruption of 1843 was a schism within the established Church of Scotland, in which 450 ministers of the Church broke away, over the issue of the Church's relationship with the State, to form the Free Church of Scotland...
, when 470 ministers rose during the General Assembly, and left never to return due to growing differences of opinion on how the church was practicing. Together with Rev. Thomas Chalmers
Thomas Chalmers
Thomas Chalmers , Scottish mathematician, political economist, divine and a leader of the Free Church of Scotland, was born at Anstruther in Fife.-Overview:...
he set up the Free Church of Scotland. Dr Candlish was previously minister of St George's Parish Church
St Andrew's and St George's Church
St Andrew's and St George's West Church serves Edinburgh's New Town, in Scotland. It is a congregation of the Church of Scotland. The parish today constitutes the whole of the First New Town of Edinburgh and a small part of the early 19th century Second New Town of Edinburgh...
. He was a fervent author of religious books, and became Moderator of the Free Church in 1861. The Free Churches lost their right to burial in the parish churchyards due to the split. Most new churches are in restricted urban areas and most lack burial ground. Consequently most Free Church members had to rely on cemeteries for burial. In this instance, Candlish has chosen to be buried in this more traditional, but still effectively non-denominational graveyard. His stone makes no mention of his achievements.
James Candlish, his father, was a medical lecturer in Edinburgh University and is also buried here. He was a friend of Robert Burns, who in 1791 described him as "the earliest friend, except me only brother, that I have on earth, and one of the worthiest fellows that ever any man called by the name of friend". Jean Smith, James’ wife and Robert's mother, was one of the "Belles of Mauchline" referred to by Burns.
Thomas Hamilton
Thomas HamiltonThomas Hamilton (architect)
Thomas Hamilton was a Scottish architect, based in Edinburgh. Born in Glasgow, his works include: the Dean Orphan Hospital, now the Dean Gallery; the Royal High School on the Calton Hill, long considered as home for the Scottish Parliament; Bedlam Theatre; the George IV Bridge, which spans the...
RSA (1784–1858), was architect of the Royal High School
New Parliament House, Edinburgh
The Old Royal High School is the name commonly given to a historic building on Calton Hill in Edinburgh which formerly housed the school of that name. The metonym Regent Road, from the street address, is used within the school community to distinguish it from the school's other past sites...
building on Regent Road, the Bank of Scotland on the Mound
The Mound
The Mound is an artificial hill in central Edinburgh, Scotland, which connects Edinburgh's New Town and Old Town. It was formed by dumping around 1,501,000 cartloads of earth excavated from the foundations of the New Town into the drained Nor Loch which forms today's Princes Street Gardens. The...
, Physicians Hall on Queen Street, the Dean Gallery
Dean Gallery
The Dean Gallery is an art gallery in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is part of the National Galleries of Scotland. It was opened in 1999, opposite the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, which is its sister gallery. As the result of a rebranding exercise in 2011, the buildings have now been...
, and many other notable buildings, mainly in Edinburgh and Ayrshire. He co-founded the Royal Scottish Academy
Royal Scottish Academy
The Royal Scottish Academy is a Scottish organisation that promotes contemporary Scottish art. Founded in 1826, as the Royal Institution for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts, the RSA maintains a unique position in Scotland as an independently funded institution led by eminent artists and...
(RSA) in 1826. His monument is relatively recent and he was previously undeclared within his family vault. There is now a bronze plaque bearing his likeness on the rear wall of the vault, having been erected by the pupils of the Royal High School on the centenary of the building of the school, June 1929. The stone in front of this vault has interesting Masonic iconography.
Daniel Stewart
Daniel Stewart (1741–1814) was the founder of Daniel Stewart's Hospital, one of Edinburgh’s leading schools. This later became Daniel Stewart's College before merging with another school to form Stewart's Melville College
Stewart's Melville College
Stewart's Melville College is an all boys boarding and day private school situated in the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland...
. His sealed tomb has a heavy-studded timber door.
William Blackwood
William BlackwoodWilliam Blackwood
William Blackwood was a Scottish publisher who founded the firm of William Blackwood & Sons.Blackwood was born of humble parents in Edinburgh. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to a firm of booksellers in Edinburgh, and he followed his calling also in Glasgow and London for several years...
(1776–1834), publisher and magistrate, was the founder of the Edinburgh Encyclopedia
Edinburgh Encyclopedia
The Edinburgh Encyclopedia was an encyclopedia in 18 volumes, printed and published by William Blackwood and edited by David Brewster between 1808 and 1830...
and Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine. He was Sir Walter Scott's publisher for many years. The tomb is an enclosed vault with decorative iron gate.
Archibald Constable
Book collector and publisher Archibald ConstableArchibald Constable
Archibald Constable was a Scottish publisher, bookseller and stationer.He was born at Carnbee, Fife, as the son of the land steward to the Earl of Kellie. In 1788 Archibald was apprenticed to Peter Hill, an Edinburgh bookseller, but in 1795 he started in business for himself as a dealer in rare...
(1774–1827) was a rival of Blackwood, and also published Scott's work (Scott shopped around as he was not popular with publishers), advising himt to publish the Waverley novels
Waverley Novels
The Waverley Novels are a long series of books by Sir Walter Scott. For nearly a century they were among the most popular and widely-read novels in all of Europe. Because he did not publicly acknowledge authorship until 1827, they take their name from Waverley , which was the first...
. Constable started to collect books from an early age, and was apprenticed to a bookseller at 14. By 1795 (aged 21) he had his own bookshop. In 1798 he began his notable career as a publisher. He founded Farmer's Magazine (1800), took over the Scots Magazine (1801), founded the Edinburgh Review
Edinburgh Review
The Edinburgh Review, founded in 1802, was one of the most influential British magazines of the 19th century. It ceased publication in 1929. The magazine took its Latin motto judex damnatur ubi nocens absolvitur from Publilius Syrus.In 1984, the Scottish cultural magazine New Edinburgh Review,...
(1802) and obtained the publishing rights to the Encyclopedia Britannica (1812). The bankruptcy of Scott and the Ballantyne brothers
James Ballantyne
James Ballantyne was an editor and publisher who worked for his friend Sir Walter Scott. His brother John Ballantyne was also with the publishing firm, which is noted for the publication of the Novelist's Library , and many works edited or written by Scott.Scott nicknamed both brothers after...
took Constable with them for a while, as all were linked. This large simplistic monument bears his head in bronze and the date of death but says nothing of his achievements.
Constable’s nephew lies some yards to the west against the dividing wall. He was a lawyer of no huge note, but the monument has an interesting detail. A small oval medallion at the base contains the motif of a caterpillar changing into a butterfly, symbolic of the soul leaving the body. The inscription is in Greek.
Robert Burn
The work of architect Robert Burn (d. 1815) includes Nelson's Monument on Calton Hill. This imposing family vault says nothing of his works. He was a respected architect by most, but not by his near-namesake Robert Burns, who commissioned Burn to erect a monument over the grave of his hero and inspiration, the poet Robert FergussonRobert Fergusson
Robert Fergusson was a Scottish poet. After formal education at the University of St Andrews, Fergusson followed an essentially bohemian life course in Edinburgh, the city of his birth, then at the height of intellectual and cultural ferment as part of the Scottish enlightenment...
who died in the poorhouse and is buried in Canongate Churchyard, visible from the southern reaches of Old Calton. Such commissions were normal, as many architects specialised in funerary monuments. On this occasion Burns was less than happy, as he indicated in a letter: "Five pounds ten shillings per account, I owe Mr R Burn, architect, for erecting the stone over the grave of poor Fergusson. He was two years in erecting it after I had commissioned him for it, and I have been two years in paying him after he sent me his account, so he and I are quits!" Both William
William Burn
William Burn was a Scottish architect, pioneer of the Scottish Baronial style.He was born in Edinburgh, the son of architect Robert Burn, and educated at the Royal High School. After training with the architect of the British Museum, Sir Robert Smirke, he returned to Edinburgh in 1812...
and John Burn, his sons, were also eminent architects, and are also buried here, but with no specific memorial.
Julius Von Yelin
The German knight and scholar Julius Von Yelin (d. 1826) came to Scotland to visit Sir Walter Scott, but died before the event, partly due to Scott's prolonged confinement, due to illness brought on by his bankruptcy. They "met" for the first time when Scott attended his funeral: "he dead and I ruined, this is what you call a meeting?" This was Scott’s first public appearance following his woes. The stone postdates the funeral by a century.John Playfair
Professor John PlayfairJohn Playfair
John Playfair FRSE, FRS was a Scottish scientist and mathematician, and a professor of natural philosophy at the University of Edinburgh. He is perhaps best known for his book Illustrations of the Huttonian Theory of the Earth , which summarized the work of James Hutton...
(1748–1819) was an important mathemetician and scientist of his day. A close friend of James Hutton
James Hutton
James Hutton was a Scottish physician, geologist, naturalist, chemical manufacturer and experimental agriculturalist. He is considered the father of modern geology...
, he was brother to architect James Playfair
James Playfair
James Playfair was a Scottish architect who worked largely in the Neoclassical tradition. He was born in Benvie near Dundee, where his father was the parish minister. He was the brother of William Playfair the engineer, and the mathematician John Playfair...
and engineer William Playfair
William Playfair
William Playfair was a Scottish engineer and political economist, the founder of graphical methods of statistics....
, as well as father of the architect William Henry Playfair
William Henry Playfair
William Henry Playfair FRSE was one of the greatest Scottish architects of the 19th century, designer of many of Edinburgh's neo-classical landmarks in the New Town....
. This still unmarked grave stands immediately adjacent to Yelin's. Playfair's monument (designed by his son) stands on Calton Hill rather than on his grave, and can be seen from the north section of the graveyard.
Indian Peter
Peter Williamson (1730–1799), nicknamed "Indian Peter", was a colourful character born near Aberdeen. He was sold into slavery when a teenager, and is one of the few well-documented examples of the early white slave trade. Around 10% of slaves were white, although they and their descendants normally found it easier to escape the circle of slavehood in later generations. Peter escaped, and lived with Native AmericansNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
("Indians") for some years (hence his nickname). He returned to Scotland and successfully sued Aberdeen Town Council for its part in his enslavement. This made him into a relatively rich man for his day. Partly backed by this cash he set up several enterprises, most notably the first Edinburgh Penny Post
Penny Post
The Penny Post is any one of several postal systems in which normal letters could be sent for one penny.-London Penny Post:In England, the Post Office had a monopoly on the collection and carriage of letters between post towns but there was no delivery system until the London Penny Post was...
in 1773, which was usefully linked to one of the world's first street directories. His unmarked grave lies to the north-east of the Martyr's Monument.
Others
Other burials include James Lumsden (1836–1899), a well-known singer of his day, and Prof. George Wilson MD (1818–1859), a text book author and biographer. Betty Morton's monument was erected by Archibald Campbell TaitArchibald Campbell Tait
Archibald Campbell Tait was a priest in the Church of England and an Archbishop of Canterbury.-Life:Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Tait was educated at the Royal High School and at the Edinburgh Academy, where he was twice elected dux. His parents were Presbyterian but he early turned towards the...
(1811–1882), Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, in memory of his nanny. Iron tablets, such as the one to John and David Paton, c. 1830, were in vogue for a decade or two, and it was not realised how badly these items would weather. This one is in surprisingly good condition, and is still legible.