Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh Covenanters Prison 01
Articles, Events, History, People, Symbolism

The Covenanters’ Prison Greyfriars Kirkyard Doors Open Days 2026

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
James Hutton Memorial Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh
Articles, Conservation, People

A Before & After at The Hutton Memorial

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 !

James Hutton Memorial Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh
That drain was washing the gravel away.
James Hutton Memorial Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh
The drain was removed by Edinburgh University.
James Hutton Memorial Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh
Edinburgh Bereavement Services made good the wall.
James Hutton Memorial Greyfriars Kirkyard Edinburgh
And today 2 tons of new gravel has been applied to make the lair look its best.