Category: Events

Looking Below the Surface
Events, Previous Events

Looking Below the Surface: Ground Penetrating Radar in Greyfriars Kirkyard

fogk.web

Instead of shovels, we are using non-invasive ground penetrating radar to explore secrets hidden beneath the ground without disturbing historical remains. Hear hot-off-the-press survey findings, then try operating the ground penetrating radar equipment yourself!

Date & Time: Sunday, 18 October 2026 | 11am – 3pm

Location: Museum of Edinburgh & Greyfriars Kirkyard

Admission: Free event, open to all

Reserve your place: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/looking-below-the-surface-ground-penetrating-radar-in-greyfriars-kirkyard-tickets-2003030877274

Looking Below the Surface
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh October
Events, Previous Events

Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard First Sunday October 2026

fogk.web

A busy afternoon in the Kirkyard. The Friends continued cross-referencing monuments as part of the Legacies in Stone recording project. There was the usual litter picking, which we’re getting on top of thanks to the installation of the wheelie-bins. And Liz cleaned the interpretation panel until she could see her face in it. Not to mention helping numerous visitors with their quests to find Tom Riddle and Bobby.

Thanks to all those who volunteered their time.

Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh October
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh October
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh October
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Doors Open Days
Previous Events

The Covenanters’ Prison Greyfriars Kirkyard Doors Open Days 2026

Mark Hatton

On Saturday 26th September we had over 2,000 visitors to the Covenanters Prison, delivered 7 full tours and answered countless questions. Thanks to Liz for being the head organiser, Alison, Ann and Stu for leading tours, Tom, Laura, Sam, Billy, Paul & Lesley for volunteering throughout.

Sunday 27th September was a rather wet day, thankfully the grass stood up well to the number of visitors and will soon dry out and bounce back.

Over the weekend we counted 3,548 people through these gates, many of whom were Edinburgh residents. Lots of them said how pleased they were to have this opportunity to visit a place they had long desired to see.

We delivered 14 full guided tours, answered countless questions about the Kirkyard, inspired dozens of people to join our group and sold well over £500 worth of guidebooks. But the key thing is that 3,548 people enjoyed visiting it, learning about it and now better appreciate the history, artistry and value of this rather magical place.

Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Doors Open Days
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Doors Open Days
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Doors Open Days
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Doors Open Days
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Doors Open Days
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Doors Open Days
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Doors Open Days
Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh Covenanters Prison 01
Previous Events

The Covenanters’ Prison Greyfriars Kirkyard Doors Open Days 2026

fogk.web

Saturday September 26th and Sunday September 27th are our annual doors open days at Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh. The Covenanters’ Prison area (which is normally closed to the general public) will be open from 10am to 4pm on these days.

Greyfriars has so much Covenanter history, with many key Covenanter events of the 17th century happening here and many key Covenanter people buried here. The National Covenant was first signed here in 1638, the men who wrote it (Archibald Johnston and Alexander Henderson) are buried here, the Covenanters’ Prison was where 1,200 combatants from the Battle of Bothwell Bridge were held in 1679 and the Martyrs Monument to the men and women who suffered between 1661 and 1688 stands here, in front of the place where many of those executed in Edinburgh are buried. And of course Bluidy Mackenzies tomb is here too.

Come along between 10am and 4pm on the 26th or 27th, the visit is entirely free of charge. We will be available to answer questions about the Kirkyard. Look for us in our green tabards, we love to talk about this place!

More details here.

Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh Covenanters Prison 01
Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh Covenanters Prison 01
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh September
Events, Previous Events

Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard First Sunday September 2026

Mark Hatton

A good turnout today saw us Litter Picking, Gravel Gathering, Fence Fixing, Sign Shining, Buddleia Bashing, Seat Washing & Mud Larking. With the gravel washed away by the August Monsoon returned to its proper location, the muddy soil that had spread on to the path returned to the flower bed, the bird poop washed off the seats & signs, the Buddleia removed from the south wall, the fence posts along the edge of McGonagal restored to an upright position and all remaining litter picked and put in the bins. The result is a nice and tidy, clean, welcoming & happy kirkyard. Many thanks to all of the old and new members who came along to help today !

Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh September
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh
Previous Events

Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard First Sunday August 2026

Mark Hatton

The Summer surge is now in full swing, with the Kirkyard looking like crowds attending a football match at times today. This volume of visitors brings a tsunami of litter with it. So it was a particularly good start to the day today with a mammoth load of litter, rubbish and assorted nasties leaving the Kirkyard after a big clean up effort over the last 24 hours. Paul Cunningham was definitely the star for the shear volume and weight of rubbish he lifted today.

In slightly less positive news the downpour of rain midweek washed a lot of mud & gravel down the Yard, which has once again clogged the gutter above the bottom steps and coated the Grassmarket steps in mud, particularly foul smelling mud at the bottom where the drain is still blocked. Tom was once again the star man for cleaning up the bottom section and the steps, but non of us could face clearing the gutter again. One bit of progress has been the complete clearance of buddleia and ivy from the George Heriot tomb, aided by a resident of Candlemaker Row who has leant out of their window to cut back the ivy that we couldn’t reach.

We had another good turnout today, but in all of the work I forgot to take a group photo. Our next First Sunday is on the 6th September.

Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh
Crowds in the Kirkyard this morning.
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh
The lorry load of rubbish ready for departure. It took a big effort to collect all of this rubbish over the last 24 hours and Paul C did most of it. Fantastic job !
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh
Tom looking rather downcast because all of his work to keep this gutter clear in recent weeks was thwarted by the midweek downpour. That washed mud and gravel down to once again block this gutter.
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh
This is what the gutter looked like before the downpour. Sadly the drainage in the Kirkyard simply can’t cope with heavy rain.
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh
By contrast, this is what George Heriot looked like a couple of weeks ago. Lots of buddleia and ivy covering the monument. We had cleared it from the face of the monument but not from the top.
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh
By contrast, this is what George Heriot looked like a couple of weeks ago. Lots of buddleia and ivy covering the monument. We had cleared it from the face of the monument but not from the top.
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh
Previous Events

Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard First Sunday July 2026

Mark Hatton

Great to see some new youthful faces at today’s First Sunday (despite the damp weather). We had a good go at removing the Buddleia from the monuments along the East Wall and picked up all of the fallen branches from the recent high winds. Plus a thorough litterpick. We then had a Geek session looking at Marriage related stories around the Kirkyard, in preparation for a wedding party tour soon. A very productive and enjoyable afternoon, many thanks to everyone who came along and grafted today.

Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh
Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh
Greyfriars Kirkyard National Cemeteries Week 4
Previous Events

A very busy day in the Kirkyard

fogk.web

A full day for the Friends in the Kirkyard today. We started off with a Tour Training session where we discussed what goes in to making a good tour. Lots of ideas and examples were covered and hopefully more of us will be ready, willing & able to lead Tours in the Kirkyard in future. We took the opportunity to do a quick “Then & Now” photo at the Martyrs Monument. We then did a bumper litter pick and bin emptying session. This time of year sees the litter accumulation rate increase rapidly and the Crows and Squirrels get into the bins and spread the litter far & wide. But a big team effort had the place looking spic ‘n span just in time for this afternoon’s Tour. Our Tours today & tomorrow are to mark National Cemeteries week. A pretty good turn out of 20 plus local folk came along and were shown why we are so passionate about this place.

Thanks to everyone who came along and helped out or took part today. It was a really good day, albeit quite a long and tiring one.

Greyfriars Kirkyard National Cemeteries Week 4
The Litter Picking team
Greyfriars Kirkyard National Cemeteries Week
The Tour Training Team
Greyfriars Kirkyard National Cemeteries Week
The Tour Team
Greyfriars Kirkyard National Cemeteries Week
The Now & Then at the Martyrs Monument 2026 v 1912
James Huttons Anniversary Greyfriars Kirkyard
People, Previous Events

James Hutton 300th Anniversary

Mark Hatton

As the 300th anniversary of the birth of James Hutton approaches (3rd June) we are getting more geologists wanting to visit his memorial. The respect and affection these visitors have for James Hutton serves to remind us just how great an impact this man had and continues to have on people who understand his genius, have studied his work and followed in his footsteps by becoming geologists.

Every one of the people buried at Greyfriars Kirkyard have individual stories, deserve to be remembered and respected for the lives they lived. But very few still command the esteem and reverence of James Hutton.

James Huttons Anniversary Greyfriars Kirkyard

A Group from the Geological Society of America in Edinburgh this week to celebrate James Hutton’s anniversary’s

James Huttons Anniversary Greyfriars Kirkyard

An American Couple who have long admired James Hutton and flew in to Edinburgh so they could lay a wreath at his grave.