Edinburgh Castle from Greyfriars Churchyard

Category

Library Item

Item no

1960

Title

Flood lighting of Edinburgh Castle from Greyfriars Churchyard

Description

Edinburgh Castle is floodlit against the night sky with the silhouettes of gravestones from Greyfriars Churchyard in front of it. A tree frames the picture in the foreground.

Artist / maker

Valentine, James

Date

1931

Size

13.9 x 8.8 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Edinburgh Castle is perhaps the city's most famous landmark. It stands on top of the remaining core of an extinct volcano. Excavations suggest the site was inhabited by Bronze Age man as early as 900 BC, and was fortified by Iron Age man roughly 2000 years ago. The oldest part of the present day Castle is St Margaret's Chapel, built in the early 12th century. The Castle holds the Honours of Scotland and more recently has welcomed back the Stone of Scone otherwise known as the Stone of Destiny.

Greyfriars Kirkyard, or Graveyard, is the burial ground of Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh. It houses the graves of many notable historical figures including the poet Allan Ramsay, the geologist James Hutton and the architect William Adam. In 1679 several hundred Covenanters were imprisoned in the Kirkyard awaiting trial.

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Related subjects

Homes > Residential buildings > Castles and palaces

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Religion > Religious facilities > Graveyards