The cracks that were threatening the integrity and symbolism of the Bannatyne Monument have been repaired. Nic Boyes, a highly skilled and experienced stone conservator, set about the task by injecting a paraloid in to the cracks, then applying resin. This will hopefully ensure that this wondrous example of 17th century symbolism is preserved for future generations to admire and marvel at.
Stone Conservation Students watched on to learn the techniques being used. Mark & Kev from the Edinburgh Bereavement Services erected the platform and took the opportunity to remove the buddleia and privet that was growing on the monument. Thanks to Susan at Edinburgh World Heritage for organising and funding the conservation work. It is fantastic to see this monument cherished like this.
Before.After.Work in progress.Stone Conservation Students from Edinburgh University watching and learning the specialist techniques required for a project of this nature.Mark & Kev erected and dismantled the platform.The vegetation that had been growing (bottom left) was cut back, giving us an unobstructed view of the top section of the monument.A view of the image on the monument that I believe depicts Thomas Bannatyne looking out from a burial shroud. This had been obscured by vegetation but is now visible. Need to find a way to treat that root stock to prevent regrowth.
In time for the James Hutton memorial concert in Greyfriars Kirk on Saturday, the Hutton lair in the Covenanters has had a makeover. The drain was taken out by Edinburgh University, Edinburgh Bereavement Services then made good the wall, we thoroughly weeded the lair and today 2 tons of nice new gravel was put in and levelled out. It now looks fly !
That drain was washing the gravel away.The drain was removed by Edinburgh University.Edinburgh Bereavement Services made good the wall.And today 2 tons of new gravel has been applied to make the lair look its best.
A talk by Chris Cooper on the The John Bayne of Pitcairlie Mausoleum, Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh. Focusing on the lives and legacies of John Bayne and Eupham Aikman.
This talk was given on 18th April 2026 as part of the Legacies in Stone community heritage project. Brought to you by Edinburgh World Heritage, the Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard, and the City of Edinburgh Council as part of the Legacies in Stone project. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.
To view this talk on our YouTube channel please Click Here
Delighted to report that the memorial for Walter Scott (Father of Sir Walter Scott) and several members of the same family has been restored and remounted in the Kirkyard today. We embarked on this project as the stone had fallen over and become illegible, so very few people realised that the Scott family burial plot was here. Walter Scott was an Elder at Greyfriars Kirk and the whole family (including Sir Walter Scott) were members of the congregation here for many years. They didn’t have a gravestone until this one was erected many years after their passing. Now it stands again.
Many thanks to Robertson’s Memorials for fixing the stone, to Edinburgh Bereavement Services for mounting the stone, to The Edinburgh Walter Scott Club for supporting the project and to our Members of the Friends of Greyfriars for raising the funds to pay for the work.
Remounted and fully legible. We will tidy up the area around the stone in due course, but this is a huge improvement on how it used to look.Jim and his team from Robertson’s Memorials who did the work.The foundation had been installed by Edinburgh Bereavement Services ready for the restored stone to be mounted on a bed of cement.Drilling the hole for the locating pin.
Something remarkable just happened at Greyfriars Kirkyard. On April 18th, a team of volunteers, archaeologists, and conservators achieved what hasn’t been done in living memory: lifting the massive ledger stone within the John Bayne of Pitcairlie enclosure.
The Rescue Mission
For decades, photographic records showed the stone slowly being swallowed by the earth. After carefully clearing the topsoil, the team discovered the stone had cracked under the pressure. It has now been entrusted to expert stone conservator Nic Boyes for off-site repair before its eventual return to its rightful place.
The Mystery Below
Beyond the stone itself, the team was hunting for a hidden vault. With the Pitcairlie mausoleum showing signs of settlement, understanding the ground conditions is vital for its survival.
The findings so far:
The Vault: No entrance was uncovered yet, but clear evidence of burial activity was found.
The Next Steps: While the eye couldn’t see a vault, a future Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey will map what lies beneath the surface.
The Details: Once cleaned, the ledger stone’s carvings may reveal secrets lost to time.
A Future Secured
These are small steps, but they are essential. Every discovery brings this Category A listed structure one step closer to a safe and secure future.
Two ways to stay tuned as we continue to peel back the layers of Edinburgh’s history. Please become a member of Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard at fogk.org or join the Edinburgh World Heritage mailing list at ewht.org.uk
Supported by: the National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to the National Lottery players and the City of Edinburgh Council. Legacies in Stone: Connecting Communities with Historic Graveyards is a partnership project with Edinburgh World Heritage.
Today we got closer to learning “What secrets lie beneath John Bayne’s feet?”
It was our day to investigate one of Greyfriars Kirkyard’s most famous — yet puzzling – monuments and learn how we hope to save it for the future.The Mystery of the Bayne Ledger Stone From a bow-maker’s workshop to the King’s inner legal circle, John Bayne’s rise to ‘Writer to the Signet’ was a 17th-century success story. But did his ambition extend below ground?
The ledger stone of John Bayne’s tomb is broken. In repairing it, we have a unique opportunity to look deeper. We are investigating whether this gravestone serves as the ‘lid’ to a hidden burial vault.
This event is brought to you by Edinburgh World Heritage, the Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard, and the City of Edinburgh Council as part of the Legacies in Stone project. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.
Here are some of the best photos I captured from the event. I’ll let one of the other committee members share what we found, and what is still to be determined (ground-penetrating radar is up next!)
Exciting to see the inspection of the Mylne Memorial going ahead in the Kirkyard today. The memorial is showing signs of structural fatigue, with fractures through the bases of the columns a particular cause for concern. Today an expert stone conservator was on site, using scaffolding erected by the Edinburgh Bereavment Services Team, to get a close look at the monument. This will provide the information needed to prepare a full condition report and a conservation action plan. The Friends of Greyfrairs Kirkyard are supporting this project alongside Edinburgh World Heritage and Edinburgh Bereavement Services, with funds and in kind assistance as we all feel it is very important that the Mylne Monument is repaired and stands for centuries to come.
We couldn’t help but think how impressed the Mylne Family of Master Masons to the Crown would have felt if they had seen the professionalism, care and concern being lavished on their own family memorial today.
The Mylne Monument Conservation Assessment Video 1
The Mylne Monument Conservation Assessment Video 2
Today was a day of a great team effort & outstanding progress on the repairs to the Bayne Mausoleum.
Bayne has long suffered from particularly invasive Buddleia that has pushed apart the stone blocks making up the canopy. This has led to water ingress which has accelerated the rate of deterioration of the carved stonework, as well as damaging its structural integrity. As a result Edinburgh World Heritage, Edinburgh Bereavment Services, Nic Boyes Stone Conservationist & The Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard have been working together to plan & carryout repairs to remove the Buddleia and seal up the joints with lime mortar. This required the use of a Cherry Picker and coordination of all of the people & materials required to carry out this work in a very busy Kirkyard. The opportunity was also taken to give a talk to students studying Stone Conservation at Edinburgh University to explain the process of assessing the condition of the Mausoleum, plan the work and carry it out.
Everything went really well today and we can celebrate a material improvement to the condition of the Bayne. Further work will be carried out in coming days to complete the task and remove buddleia from other monuments.
Great thanks are due to Susan Buckham & her colleagues at Edinburgh World Heritage plus Paul, Kevin, Kevin, Mark, Andy & Jane at Edinburgh Bereavment Services who worked together to plan, fund and execute the work. And particular thanks to Nic Boyes who worked tirelessly all day in a highly professional manner to get the job done. The Friends of Greyfriars (Chris & Liz in particular) supported, encouraged and informed the work in many ways too, including some funding. I hope you all agree that this is a good use of our resources.
We can all feel proud of this progress and it builds our confidence & commitment to see more conservation in the Kirkyard in future.
9am this morning shows how extensive the buddleia had become and the extent of movement in the stonework
4pm this afternoon. The buddleia is all gone, the joints have been filled with lime mortar and the whole covered over in hessian to aid its drying and bonding with the stonework, creating a stronger and more water tight structure.
Nic getting ready to start work on the Cherry Picker.
Chris presenting to the Stone Conservation Students from Edinburgh University.
