Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh
Gateway of Greyfriars Kirk. Photo
Katherine. 
Greyfriars Kirk. Photo
Gary Henderson. 
Greyfriars Cemetery. Photo
Jessica.
Tombstone of Greyfriars Bobby. Photo
Steve Montgomery.
Location map and aerial view of Greyfriars Kirk. For a larger interactive view, see our Edinburgh Map.
Dedicated in 1620, Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh has seen its share of Scottish history and has a spooky graveyard to boot.
History
Completed in 1620, Greyfriars Kirk was named for the Franciscan friary that stood nearby. It stands amid cemetery ordered by Mary Queen of Scots in 1562 because there was no more burial space at St. Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile.
In 1638 the National Covenant was signed in front of the pulpit of Greyfriars. A document of great importance for the history of Scotland, the National Covenant chose Presbyterianism over Anglicanism as the national religion. Within a few decades Greyfriars had become a barracks for Cromwell's forces and in 1679, around 1,200 Covenanters were imprisoned in Greyfriars Kirkyard.
In the 18th century, the original tower exploded when gunpowder stored there caught fire. In the 19th century a minister of Greyfriars led a movement to reform worship, introducing the first post-Reformation stained glass windows and one of the first organs in a Presbyterian Church in Scotland.
What to See
The kirkyard incorporates a bit of the old Flodden Wall and is full of 17th-century tombs and monuments. It is said to be haunted.
The most celebrated tomb in the churchyard is that of Bobby, the faithful Skye terrier of a 19th-century policeman named John Gray who stood watch at his master's grave for years. A statue of "Greyfriars Bobby" is at the top of Candlemaker Row, just outside the Greyfriars Bobby pub.
Quick Facts
Site Information |
| Names: | Greyfriars Kirk |
| Location: | Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland |
| Category: | Churches |
| Faith: | Christianity |
| Denomination: | Presbyterian (Church of Scotland) |
| Status: | active |
| Date: | 1620 |
Visitor Information |
| Coordinates: | 55.946611° N, 3.192258° W (view on Google Maps) |
| Address: | Greyfriars Place, Old Town, Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Website: | www.greyfriarskirk.com |
| Hours: | Apr-Oct: Mon-Fri 10:30am-4:30pm, Sat 10:30am-2:30pm Oct-Mar Thurs 1:30-3:30pm |
| Public transport: | Bus: 2, 41, or 42 |
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Article Sources
Article written by Holly Hayes with reference to the following sources:
- Personal visits (2000).
- Greyfriars Presbyterian Church (official site) - includes a 360° view of the interior
- Frommer's Edinburgh and Glasgow, 1st ed.
Article last updated: 07/08/2009.
