Scotland
Scotland
Black Mausoleum, Greyfriar's Kirkyard Edinburgh Scotland
Greyfriar's Kirkyard is the graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland. It's located on the south edge of the Old Town, adjacent to George Heriot's school. Burials here have been taking place since the 16th century. There are a number of notable residents.
Greyfriar's cemetery is reportedly one of the most haunted places on the planet. The most notable spirit said to inhabit this local is the infamous "Bloody" George Mackenzie buried here since 1691. The 'Mackenzie Poltergeist' is said to cause bruising, bites and cuts to those to who come into contact with it and many visitors also report feeling strange sensations. Visitors who take the ghost tour, which has access to Covenanter's Prison, have reportedly emerged with injuries which they had no recollection of sustaining. Even more interesting, a number of deaths have taken place in the Kirkyard itself. The television show, Scariest Places on Earth and Extreme Ghost Stories have both featured Greyfriars Cemetery.
I visited Greyfriars Cemetery in 2008, I took a walking ghost tour that took us down the cobbled streets of Edinburgh to the Kirkyard. The tour was absolutely amazing and this particular tour group had permission to open the Black Mausoleum and allow us inside. It was pitch black inside and we were shoulder to shoulder. A chill ran down my back as the closed the door behind us to finish the story. I would absolutely recommend 10 out of 10.
Mary King's Close, Edinburgh Scotland
Mary Kings' Close is a must see in Edinburgh Scotland. Hidden deep beneath the Royal Mile lies Edinburgh's deepest secret; a warren of hidden 'closes' or streets where real people lived, worked and died.
Back in the 1600's, Mary King's Close and neighboring closes were at the heart of Edinburgh's residents. Four hundred years later, these closes are underground. For years, the hidden closes of Old Town Edinburgh have been shrouded in mystery with blood curdling tales of ghosts and murders, and of plague victims being walled up and left to this day. Research and archaeological evidence have revealed a truer story, rooted in fact and - as is so often the case - more fascinating than any amount of fiction. Documents show that Mark King was a prominent businesswoman in the 1630's. At the time she was a widow and a mother of four, who traded in fabrics and sewed for a living. It was highly unusual for a close to be named after a woman at the time, indicating Mary's standing in the town.
Mary King's Close has is now infamous for its tales of ghosts and unexplained happenings. One of the earliest and best documented stories concerns the Coltheart family and took place 40 years after the last outbreak of the plague in Edinburgh when people were already claiming to have seen 'spectres and nameless terrors' in the close.
I had the opportunity to visit Mary King's close in 2008 and it was eerie and extremely eye opening to see how people once lived. It's no wonder why there are spirits still attached to this place. I would recommend a visit if you are ever in Edinburgh.
