124-460: The Old Calton Burial Ground is a cemetery in Edinburgh , Scotland. It is located on Calton Hill to the north-east of the city centre. The burial ground was opened in 1718, and is the resting place of several notable Scots, including philosopher David Hume , scientist John Playfair , rival publishers William Blackwood and Archibald Constable , and clergyman Dr Robert Candlish . It is also
248-422: A mass grave until they had decomposed . The bones were then exhumed and stored in ossuaries , either along the arcaded bounding walls of the cemetery or within the church under floor slabs and behind walls. In most cultures those who were vastly rich, had important professions , were part of the nobility or were of any other high social status were usually buried in individual crypts inside or beneath
372-399: A portico -style frame, with a pediment bearing a crest with two lions rampant. Two carved female figures flank the monument, exposing their breasts and holding a book open to view. Another stone, dated 1762, bears a skull and the motto " Memento Mori ", with an hourglass lying on its side, indicating the sands of life have stopped, as well as crossed bones and crossed turf cutter and spade,
496-524: A sarcophagus ), a mausoleum , a columbarium , a niche, or another edifice. In Western cultures , funeral ceremonies are often observed in cemeteries. These ceremonies or rites of passage differ according to cultural practices and religious beliefs. Modern cemeteries often include crematoria, and some grounds previously used for both continue as crematoria as a principal use long after the interment areas have been filled. The Taforalt cave in Morocco
620-571: A "Monument be built over my body ... with an Inscription containing only my Name and the Year of my Birth and Death, leaving it to Posterity to add the Rest." The tomb is a large cylindrical tower on the Edinburgh skyline. It was designed by Robert Adam in 1777. While Hume was not religious, leading to his being buried in this non-denominational site, other family members did not hold his views. His niece
744-589: A 19th-century cemetery. Due to the cut, a small section of the graveyard is isolated to the north side of Waterloo Place, and is accessed from Calton Hill (the street). The building to its east, part of Archibald Elliot 's Waterloo Place development, was originally the Calton Convening Rooms for the Incorporated Trades of Calton built as a replacement for their old convening rooms, which were demolished to make way for Waterloo Place and
868-479: A Grave , Canadian Headstones , Interment.net , and the World Wide Cemetery . In Western countries, and many others, visitors to graves commonly leave cut flowers , especially during major holidays and on birthdays or relevant anniversaries. Cemeteries usually dispose of these flowers after a few weeks in order to keep the space maintained. Some companies offer perpetual flower services, to ensure
992-621: A backlash which led to the development of the lawn cemetery. In a review of British burial and death practises, Julie Rugg wrote that there were "four closely interlinked factors that explain the 'invention' and widespread adoption of the lawn cemetery: the deterioration of the Victorian cemetery; a self-conscious rejection of Victorian aesthetics in favour of modern alternatives; resource difficulties that, particularly after World War II, increasingly constrained what might be achieved in terms of cemetery maintenance; and growing professionalism in
1116-756: A beloved pet on the family property. All of the Saudis in Al Baha are Muslims, and this is reflected in their cemetery and funeral customs. "The southern tribal hinterland of Baha – home to especially the Al- Ghamdi and Al- Zahrani tribes – has been renowned for centuries for their tribal cemeteries that are now slowly vanishing", according to the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper: "One old villager explained how tribal cemeteries came about. 'People used to die in large numbers and very rapidly one after
1240-457: A category A listed building . The villagers of Calton, a village at the western base of Calton Hill, buried their dead at South Leith Parish Church . This was so inconvenient that, in 1718, the Society of the Incorporated Trades of Calton bought a half acre of ground at a cost of £1013 from Lord Balmerino, the feudal superior of the land, for use as a burial ground for the village. Permission
1364-437: A cemetery as Hybrid, Natural, or Conservation Burial Grounds. Many scientists have argued that natural burials would be a highly efficient use of land if designed specifically to save endangered habitats, ecosystems and species. The opposite has also been proposed. Instead of letting natural burials permanently protect wild landscapes, others have argued that the rapid decomposition of a natural burial, in principle, allows for
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#17327808153871488-400: A desire to be environmentally conscious with the body rapidly decomposing and becoming part of the natural environment without incurring the environmental cost of traditional burials. Certifications may be granted for various levels of green burial. Green burial certifications are issued in a tiered system reflecting level of natural burial practice. Green burial certification standards designate
1612-422: A fence which may be made of concrete , cast iron or timber . Where a number of family members are buried together (either vertically or horizontally), the slab or boundaries may encompass a number of graves. Monumental cemeteries are often regarded as unsightly due to the random collection of monuments and headstones they contain. Also, as maintenance of the headstones is the responsibility of family members (in
1736-480: A flower or small posy to be placed on the plaque itself or clips are glued onto the plaque for that purpose. Newer designs of columbarium walls take this desire to leave flowers into account by incorporating a metal clip or loop beside each plaque, typically designed to hold a single flower stem or a small posy. As the flowers decay, they simply fall to the ground and do not create a significant maintenance problem. While uncommon today, family (or private) cemeteries were
1860-507: A form often associated with poets and poetry. Hamilton won the competition and the foundation stone was laid in 1820, but the project was shelved and debated for years. It was resumed in 1825 and completed in 1828. A bust of Burns by Patrick Park was added in the memorial in 1854. This was replaced in 1884 by a bust donated by the prominent Scots sculptor Sir John Steell . Following a large subscription in 1817 from Scottish expatriates in India
1984-484: A grave is always decorated with fresh flowers. Flowers may often be planted on the grave as well, usually immediately in front of the gravestone. For this purpose roses are highly common. Thomas Hamilton (architect) Thomas Hamilton (11 January 1784 – 24 February 1858) was a Scottish architect, based in Edinburgh where he designed many of that city's prominent buildings. Born in Glasgow , his works include:
2108-482: A grid to replace the chaotic appearance of the churchyard. Urban cemeteries developed over time into a more landscaped form as part of civic development of beliefs and institutions that sought to portray the city as civilized and harmonious. Urban cemeteries were more sanitary (a place to safely dispose of decomposing corpses) than they were aesthetically pleasing. Corpses were usually buried wrapped in cloth, since coffins, burial vaults, and above-ground crypts inhibited
2232-431: A headstone at all usually had some religious symbol made from wood on the place of burial such as a Christian cross ; however, this would quickly deteriorate under the rain or snow. Some families hired a blacksmith and had large crosses made from various metals put on the places of burial. Starting in the early 19th century, the burial of the dead in graveyards began to be discontinued, due to rapid population growth in
2356-514: A heavy-studded timber door. William Blackwood (1776–1834), publisher and magistrate, was the founder of the Edinburgh Encyclopedia and Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine . He was Sir Walter Scott 's publisher for many years. The tomb is an enclosed vault with decorative iron gate. Book collector and publisher Archibald Constable (1774–1827) was a rival of Blackwood, and also published Scott's work (Scott shopped around as he
2480-537: A hilly area in Nagoya, Japan, effectively creating stone walls blanketing hillsides. The Cross Bones is a burial ground for prostitutes in London. The Neptune Memorial Reef is an underwater columbarium near Key Biscayne . In the 2000s and 2010s, it has become increasingly common for cemeteries and funeral homes to offer online services. There are also stand-alone online "cemeteries" such as DiscoverEverAfter Find
2604-591: A master. Known as "the Scottish Hogarth ", he illustrated The Gentle Shepherd by Allan Ramsay and importantly much of Robert Burns ' work. His grave was originally unmarked. The headstone was erected in 1874, almost 80 years after his death, by the Royal Scottish Academy , and includes a profile medallion insert of his likeness by John Hutchison . Historian and philosopher David Hume (1711–1776), author of Treatise of Human Nature ,
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#17327808153872728-438: A matter of practicality during the settlement of America. If a municipal or religious cemetery had not been established, settlers would seek out a small plot of land, often in wooded areas bordering their fields, to begin a family plot. Sometimes, several families would arrange to bury their dead together. While some of these sites later grew into true cemeteries, many were forgotten after a family moved away or died out. Today, it
2852-635: A mausoleum on the grave of Robert Burns in Dumfries in 1815 was followed by a general move to erect memorials and statues of the bard in other Scottish towns and cities. In October 1817 a competition was announced in Ayrshire seeking designs for a monument at Burns' birthplace at Alloway. Hamilton had been working on just such a project. His design is based on the Monument to Lysicrates in Athens, Greece ,
2976-551: A monument in Edinburgh was funded and after a debate lasting over a decade Thomas Hamilton won this commission in 1831. While largely repeating the design of the Alloway monument, he designed the Edinburgh monument to contain a full sized statue of Burns by John Flaxman . The statue was later removed to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery where it remains on display. Whilst the Alloway monument
3100-502: A monument over the grave of his hero and inspiration, the poet Robert Fergusson who died in the poorhouse and is buried in Canongate Kirkyard , visible from the southern reaches of Old Calton. Such commissions were normal, as many architects specialised in funerary monuments. On this occasion Burns was less than happy, as he indicated in a letter: "Five pounds ten shillings per account, I owe Mr R Burn, architect, for erecting
3224-422: A new inscription has been added to the rear, which reads "Re-erected 1866 by a few gentlemen who thought it well that the last resting place should not be forgotten of one who contributed largely to the enjoyments of his fellow creatures and whose taste and talents recommended him to the friendship of the poets, Fergusson and Burns ". Life’s but a walking shadow – a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon
3348-404: A niche in a columbarium wall is a much cheaper alternative to a burial plot. A small plaque (about 15 cm x 10 cm) can be affixed across the front of each niche and is generally included as part of the price of a niche. As the writing on the plaques has to be fairly small to fit on the small size of the plaque, the design of columbarium walls is constrained by the ability of visitors to read
3472-585: A piece of ground on Calton Hill for seventeen pounds sterling. The location of this burial ground is indicated on the 1852 Ordnance Survey map as "Jews' Burial Vault (Lyons Family)" just outside the north wall of William Henry Playfair 's City Observatory . In 1793 several members of The Friends of the People, an early universal suffrage movement, were brought to trial and sentenced to 14 years' deportation, being charged before Lord Braxfield with "unconscious sedition" and treason for attempting to correspond with
3596-528: A practice simply supplying local needs. The family business later became United Distillers . John Haig was the father of Field Marshal Lord Douglas Haig , of World War One fame. The latter does not lie in this family vault but is buried at Dryburgh Abbey . Dr Robert Candlish (1806–1873) was a clergyman and leader of the Disruption of the Scottish Church in 1843 , when 470 ministers rose during
3720-599: A proposal made by him that a burying place should be provided for certain old pensioned American soldiers in the Old Calton burying ground, the Plans and Works Committee acting under remit with powers, beg to report that they have fixed, as a site, a piece of ground 14 feet by 14 feet or thereby, in the Old Calton Burial Ground about 16 feet or thereby north of David Hume’s monument. Five thousand dollars
3844-422: A sealant) and toxic metals such as copper, lead, and zinc (from coffin handles and flanges). Urban cemeteries relied heavily on the fact that the soft parts of the body would decompose in about 25 years (although, in moist soil, decomposition can take up to 70 years). If room for new burials was needed, older bones could be dug up and interred elsewhere (such as in an ossuary) to make space for new interments. It
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3968-444: A separate Act of Parliament for authorisation, although the capital was raised through the formation of joint-stock companies . In the first 50 years of the 19th century the population of London more than doubled from 1 million to 2.3 million. The small parish churchyards were rapidly becoming dangerously overcrowded, and decaying matter infiltrating the water supply was causing epidemics . The issue became particularly acute after
4092-548: A soldier awarded the Victoria Cross for his infiltration of Taku Forts during the Second China War. The medal was later stolen from his home and its whereabouts are unknown. Charles Mackay (1787-1857), comedian and actor, was particularly distinguished in his portrayal of the character of Baillie Nicol Jarvie, and other characters of Walter Scott 's invention or adaption (most famously as Rob Roy ). Mackay
4216-788: A standing figure of Abraham Lincoln , with a freed slave giving thanks at his feet, it is a focal point of the burial ground, located just in front of Hume's tomb. It is the only monument to the American Civil War outside the United States and was the first statue to a US president outside her own borders. It is the only statue of Lincoln in Scotland. Sculptures were by George Edwin Bissell and stonework by Stewart McGlashan & Son. The base consists of polished red Aberdeen granite, 9 feet in height. [1] A bronze shield bears
4340-532: A term still used to describe them today. The concept quickly spread across Europe. Garden/rural cemeteries were not necessarily outside city limits. When land within a city could be found, the cemetery was enclosed with a wall to give it a garden-like quality. These cemeteries were often not sectarian, nor co-located with a house of worship. Inspired by the English landscape garden movement, they often looked like attractive parks. The first garden/rural cemetery in
4464-527: A workshop at Allan's Close on the Royal Mile in the Old Town. Hamilton was by then apprenticed to his father. His mother Jean died approximately at the time of this move or shortly before. In 1804 his father remarried: to Margaret McAra. By this time young Thomas seems largely to have been working under the wing of his uncle. John Hamilton (d.1812), a builder living and operating from 4 Dundas Street in
4588-644: Is allegedly the figure referred to in the phrase " the real McCoy ". In the 1830s Charles Mackay of the Theatre Royal is listed as living at 23 Dublin Street in the New Town . He was born in Edinburgh but died in Glasgow. He was portrayed by Sir Daniel Macnee . From about 1772 to 1802 William Woods was the favourite and leading actor on the Edinburgh stage. The main marble tablet is eroded and illegible;
4712-539: Is also interred here and she added a particularly Christian sentiment to her panel, which reads "Behold, I come quickly, thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ". Hume's home, between 1771 and 1776, was relatively close by, on the corner of St David Street and St Andrew Square, but that location has never been visible from Hume's tomb (as some claim). The very well-carved stone erected by Captain John Gray in memory of his parents, c1760,
4836-467: Is an example of this practice. Burial of a body at a site may protect the location from redevelopment, with such estates often being placed in the care of a trust or foundation . In the United States, state regulations have made it increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to start private cemeteries; many require a plan to care for the site in perpetuity. Private cemeteries are nearly always forbidden on incorporated residential zones. Many people will bury
4960-522: Is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery in London. The German knight and scholar Julius Conrad Von Yelin (1771-1826) came to Scotland to visit Sir Walter Scott , but died before the event, partly due to Scott's prolonged confinement, due to illness brought on by his bankruptcy. They "met" for the first time when Scott attended his funeral: " – and now his funeral will be the first public place that I shall appear at – he dead and I ruined. This
5084-472: Is in excellent condition, and is arguably the most interesting in the whole burial ground. It is inscribed with his name and then a carved anchor, beneath which is a carving of a 3-masted ship, flying the ensign, shown in bold relief. Down the left side of the stone is a death head and bearded, male head wearing a cap, which could presumably refer to his father. From the mouth spill two ribbons that link symbols of mortality: The King of Terrors main weapon of death,
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5208-429: Is not unheard of to discover groupings of tombstones, ranging from a few to a dozen or more, on undeveloped land. As late 20th-century suburban sprawl pressured the pace of development in formerly rural areas, it became increasingly common for larger exurban properties to be encumbered by "religious easements", which are legal requirements for the property owner to permit periodic maintenance of small burial plots located on
5332-438: Is possibly the oldest known cemetery in the world. It was the resting place of at least 34 Iberomaurusian individuals, the bulk of whom have been dated to 15,100 to 14,000 years ago. [1] Neolithic cemeteries are sometimes referred to by the term " grave field ". They are one of the chief sources of information on ancient and prehistoric cultures, and numerous archaeological cultures are defined by their burial customs, such as
5456-419: Is the focal point of Old Calton Burial Ground, and was erected in their memory. The choice of this site is probably linked to the graveyard's lack of affiliation to any church, and prominent position. There is no known connection between any of the martyrs and Calton parish. The inscription reads: To the memory of Thomas Muir, Thomas Fyshe-Palmer, William Skirving, Maurice Margarot, and Joseph Gerrald, erected by
5580-476: Is what you call a meeting." This was Scott's first public appearance following his woes. The stone postdates the funeral by a century. Professor John Playfair (1748–1819) was an important mathematician and scientist of his day. He was brother to architect James Playfair and engineer William Playfair , as well as uncle of the architect William Henry Playfair . He was a close friend of James Hutton . Originally unmarked, his grave, immediately adjacent to Yelin's,
5704-655: The Urnfield culture of the European Bronze Age . [2] During the Early Middle Ages , the reopening of graves and manipulation of the corpses or artifacts contained within them was a widespread phenomenon and a common part of the life course of early medieval cemeteries across Western and Central Europe . The reopening of furnished or recent burials occurred over the broad zone of European row-grave-style furnished inhumation burial, especially from
5828-558: The Royal Scottish Academy in 1826. In the 1830s he is listed as living at 57 York Place, on the eastern edge of the Edinburgh New Town . He trained John Henderson in the 1820s. The architect John Starforth trained under Hamilton in the 1830s. In 1852, he submitted a design for improving the Bank of Scotland 's Head Office, which was unpopular and described as a "prominent deformity" by Lord Cockburn in 1849. The design
5952-697: The Union (the North) in the American Civil War. The inscription, "To preserve the jewel of liberty in the framework of Freedom" is a quotation from the writings of Abraham Lincoln. Those interred and commemorated are: The following appears in the Town Council records Act of Council 32, Edinburgh 1st Sept 1892 The Magistrates and Council having on a letter from the United States Consul (Mr Wallace Bruce) of 25 July 1892. Signified their approval of
6076-477: The cholera epidemic of 1831 , which killed 52,000 people in Britain alone, putting unprecedented pressure on the country's burial capacity. Concerns were also raised about the potential public health hazard arising from the inhalation of gases generated from human putrefaction under the then prevailing miasma theory of disease. Legislative action was slow in coming, but in 1832 Parliament finally acknowledged
6200-507: The grass can grow over and cover the plaque, to the distress of families who can no longer easily locate the grave. Grasses that propagate by an above-ground stolon (runner) can cover a plaque very quickly. Grasses that propagate by a below-ground rhizome tend not to cover the plaque as easily. The lawn beam cemetery, a recent development, seeks to solve the problems of the lawn cemetery while retaining many of its benefits. Low (10–15 cm) raised concrete slabs (beams) are placed across
6324-679: The 5th to the 8th centuries CE, which comprised the regions of today's Romania , Hungary , the Czech Republic , Slovakia , Switzerland , Austria , Germany , the Low Countries , France , and south-eastern England . From about the 7th century CE, in Europe a burial was under the control of the Church and could only take place on consecrated church ground. Practices varied, but in continental Europe, bodies were usually buried in
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#17327808153876448-1135: The Burns Monument in Alloway ; the Royal High School on the south side of Calton Hill (long considered as a possible home for the Scottish Parliament ); the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh ; the George IV Bridge , which spans the Cowgate; the Dean Orphan Hospital, now the Dean Gallery ; the New North Road Free Church, now the Bedlam Theatre ; Cumstoun, a private house in Dumfries and Galloway ; and
6572-712: The French. Their true crime in the eyes of the judges was to push for universal suffrage, and the rights of the common man to control his destiny, i.e. voting rights for all, not just landowners. The men became known as the Chartist Martyrs. Thomas Muir of Huntershill was their leading figure, and he, along with four others who followed him, was banished to Botany Bay in Australia on 30 August 1793. The huge obelisk (designed by Thomas Hamilton buried just behind), clearly visible from many central Edinburgh viewpoints,
6696-624: The Friends of Parliamentary Reform in England and Scotland 1844. I have devoted myself to the cause of the people, it is a good cause – it shall ultimately prevail – it shall finally triumph – speech of Thomas Muir in the Court of Justiciary on the 30th August 1793. I know that what has been done these two days will be re-judged – speech of William Skirving on the 7th January 1794. The Scottish Reform Act 1832 eventually brought about their aim, and
6820-586: The Friends of Parliamentary Reform in England and Scotland, 1844. It includes the following quotation: I have devoted myself to the cause of The People. It is a good cause - it shall ultimately prevail - it shall finally triumph. (Speech of Thomas Muir in the Court of Judiciary on 30 August 1793.) Hamilton also designed the Doric column for the statue of John Knox (1825) in the Glasgow Necropolis (see Glasgow's public statues ). The building of
6944-590: The General Assembly, and left never to return due to growing differences of opinion on how the church was practicing. Together with Rev Thomas Chalmers he set up the Free Church of Scotland . Dr Candlish was previously minister of St George's Parish Church . He was a fervent author of religious books, and became Moderator of the Free Church in 1861. The Free Churches lost their right to burial in
7068-467: The Laying Out, Planting and Managing of Cemeteries (1843) was very influential on designers and architects of the period. Loudon himself designed three cemeteries – Bath Abbey Cemetery , Histon Road Cemetery, Cambridge , and Southampton Old Cemetery . The Metropolitan Burial Act of 1852 legislated for the establishment of the first national system of government-funded municipal cemeteries across
7192-642: The New Town, helping with building projects such as Heriot Row . During this time he acquired considerable knowledge of stone masonry. In 1812 his uncle John died and left the bulk of his estate to Hamilton who was 28 years old. This included several houses on Heriot Row and Dundas Street, built by them both. Since the move to Princes Street, however, his father's affairs had been in disarray, with Hamilton possibly supporting him to some degree. In 1813 his uncle James Hamilton of Springhill agreed to pay £40 towards his father's debts to fend off creditors, but this
7316-538: The Regent Bridge. In 1795, Herman Lion (one of several versions of his name), a Jewish dentist and chiropodist of German nationality who had moved to Scotland in 1788 and who could not be buried in a Christian graveyard, petitioned the Town Council of Edinburgh for a small piece of ground as a burial ground for himself and his family. A council minute of 6 May 1795 records that the Council agreed to convey to Lion
7440-565: The Scottish Political Martyrs' Monument in Old Calton Cemetery , Edinburgh. He was one of the leading Greek Revivalists in Scotland, "more imaginative than his peers and more refined in his detailing". He was a favourite of the church for his Gothic designs, being commissioned to design many Free Churches after the Disruption of 1843 . He also designed shops and banks, many of which survive. Hamilton
7564-509: The Theatre . The Scots distiller John Haig is buried here, together with several members of the Haig whisky family. Haig is of most note for being instrumental in the enterprising promotion of whisky at the failure of the wine and brandy market in the late 19th century. As part of this venture he effectively invented blended whisky and turned whisky in Scotland into a true industry rather than
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#17327808153877688-572: The United States was Mount Auburn Cemetery near Boston , Massachusetts, founded by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 1831. Following the establishment of Mount Auburn, dozens of other "rural" cemeteries were established in the United States ;– perhaps in part because of Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story 's dedication address – and there were dozens of dedication addresses, including
7812-506: The absence of a proscribed Perpetual Care and Maintenance Fund), over time many headstones are forgotten about and decay and become damaged. For cemetery authorities, monumental cemeteries are difficult to maintain. While cemeteries often have grassed areas between graves, the layout of graves makes it difficult to use modern equipment such as ride-on lawn mowers in the cemetery. Often the maintenance of grass must be done by more labour-intensive (and therefore expensive) methods. In order to reduce
7936-441: The beam, the blades cannot damage the plaques. Up on the beam, the plaques cannot be easily overgrown by grass, and spaces between the plaques permit families to place flowers and other objects out of reach of the mowing. A natural cemetery, eco-cemetery , green cemetery or conservation cemetery , is a new style of cemetery as an area set aside for natural burials (with or without coffins ). Natural burials are motivated by
8060-475: The capacity of holding many bodies simultaneously. Such vaults include windows for people to peer through and are usually decorated ornately with text, drawings, and patterns. At least one resident believes that the graves unique in the region because many are not oriented toward Mecca , and therefore must pre-date Islam . Graves are terraced in Yagoto Cemetery , which is an urban cemetery situated in
8184-479: The causes of that deterioration. The rural cemetery or garden cemetery is a style of burial ground that uses landscaping in a park-like setting. It was conceived in 1711 by the British architect Sir Christopher Wren , who advocated the creation of landscaped burial grounds which featured well-planned walkways which gave extensive access to graves and planned plantings of trees, bushes, and flowers. Wren's idea
8308-424: The cemetery and makes it difficult to use the larger mowers . While cemetery authorities increasingly impose restrictions on the nature and type of objects that can be placed on lawn graves and actively remove prohibited items, grieving families are often unwilling to comply with these restrictions and become very upset if the items are removed. Another problem with lawn cemeteries involves grass over-growth over time:
8432-404: The cemetery. Commemorative plaques (usually standardised in terms of size and materials similar to lawn cemeteries) stand on these beams adjacent to each grave. As in a lawn cemetery, grass grows over the graves themselves. The areas between the beams are wide enough to permit easy mowing with a larger mower. As the mower blades are set lower than the top of the beam and the mowers do not go over
8556-668: The city to the Catacombs of Paris . The bones of an estimated six million people are to be found there. An early example of a landscape-style cemetery is Père Lachaise in Paris. This embodied the idea of state - rather than church-controlled burial, a concept that spread through the continent of Europe with the Napoleonic invasions . This could include the opening of cemeteries by private or joint stock companies. The shift to municipal cemeteries or those established by private companies
8680-400: The country, opening the way for a massive expansion of burial facilities throughout the late 19th century. In the United States, rural cemeteries became recreational areas in a time before public parks, hosting events from casual picnics to hunts and carriage races. There are a number of different styles of cemetery in use. Many cemeteries have areas based on different styles, reflecting
8804-411: The dead nor provide a place for the wider circle of friends and family to come to mourn or visit. Therefore, many cemeteries now provide walls (typically of brick or rendered brick construction) with a rectangular array of niches, with each niche being big enough to accommodate a person's cremated remains. Columbarium walls are a very space-efficient use of land in a cemetery compared with burials and
8928-420: The difficult weather. In the past, some Arab winters lasted for more than six months and would be accompanied with much rain and fog, impeding movement. But due to tribal rivalries many families would guard their cemeteries and put restrictions on who was buried in them. Across Baha, burial grounds have been constructed in different ways. Some cemeteries consist of underground vaults or concrete burial chambers with
9052-461: The diversity of cultural practices around death and how it changes over time. The urban cemetery is a burial ground located in the interior of a village, town, or city. Early urban cemeteries were churchyards, which filled quickly and exhibited a haphazard placement of burial markers as sextons tried to squeeze new burials into the remaining space. As new burying grounds were established in urban areas to compensate, burial plots were often laid out in
9176-875: The early stages of the Industrial Revolution , continued outbreaks of infectious disease near graveyards and the increasingly limited space in graveyards for new interments . In many European states, burial in graveyards was eventually outlawed altogether through legislation . Instead of graveyards, completely new places of burial were established away from heavily populated areas and outside of old towns and city centers. Many new cemeteries became municipally owned or were run by their own corporations, and thus independent from churches and their churchyards. In some cases, skeletons were exhumed from graveyards and moved into ossuaries or catacombs . A large action of this type occurred in 18th century Paris when human remains were transferred from graveyards all over
9300-400: The early white slave trade. Peter escaped, and lived with Native Americans ("Indians") for some years (hence his nickname). He returned to Scotland and successfully sued Aberdeen Town Council for its part in his enslavement. This made him into a relatively rich man for his day. Partly backed by this cash he set up several enterprises, most notably the first Edinburgh Penny Post in 1773, which
9424-413: The existing graveyard, requiring major removal of bodies and stones which was done with a high degree of respect, bones being carefully grouped and wrapped for removal to New Calton Burial Ground , 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) eastwards, where several of the more substantial stones were also re-erected. These transported stones belie the age of that burial ground, as it is odd to find 18th-century stones in
9548-431: The famous Gettysburg Address of President Abraham Lincoln. The cost of building a garden/rural cemetery often meant that only the wealthy could afford burial there. Subsequently, garden/rural cemeteries often feature above-ground monuments and memorials, mausoleums , and columbaria . The excessive filling of rural/garden cemeteries with elaborate above-ground memorials, many of dubious artistic quality or taste, created
9672-521: The field of cemetery management." Typically, lawn cemeteries comprise a number of graves in a lawn setting with trees and gardens on the perimeter. Adolph Strauch introduced this style in 1855 in Cincinnati . While aesthetic appeal to family members has been the primary driver for the development of lawn cemeteries, cemetery authorities initially welcomed this new style of cemetery enthusiastically, expecting easier maintenance. Selecting (or grading)
9796-491: The ground floor being occupied by William Vair, a stocking maker. Hamilton's father received many City commissions between 1796 and 1803 allowing Hamilton to attend the old High School in High School Yards from 1800 to 1801. The rector at the time was Alexander Adam . In 1803 the family moved to a newly built house of 47 Princes Street in Edinburgh's New Town . His father (listed as a "wright") still retained
9920-518: The human body releases significant pathogenic bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses which can cause disease and illness, and many urban cemeteries were located without consideration for local groundwater. Modern burials in urban cemeteries also release toxic chemicals associated with embalming, such as arsenic, formaldehyde , and mercury. Coffins and burial equipment can also release significant amounts of toxic chemicals such as arsenic (used to preserve coffin wood) and formaldehyde (used in varnishes and as
10044-406: The labour cost, devices such as string trimmers are increasingly used in cemetery maintenance, but such devices can damage the monuments and headstones. Cemetery authorities dislike the criticism they receive for the deteriorating condition of the headstones, arguing that they have no responsibility for the upkeep of headstones, and typically disregard their own maintenance practices as being one of
10168-546: The land intended for a lawn cemetery so that it is completely flat allows the use of large efficient mowers (such as ride-on mowers or lawn tractors) - the plaques (being horizontally set in the ground) lie below the level of the blades and are not damaged by the blades. In practice, while families are often initially attracted to the uncluttered appearance of a lawn cemetery, the common practice of placing flowers (sometimes in vases ) and increasingly other items (e.g. small toys on children's graves) re-introduces some clutter to
10292-457: The land is specifically designated as a burial ground and originally applied to the Roman catacombs . The term graveyard is often used interchangeably with cemetery, but a graveyard primarily refers to a burial ground within a churchyard . The intact or cremated remains of people may be interred in a grave, commonly referred to as burial , or in a tomb , an "above-ground grave" (resembling
10416-437: The location of the dead, so grieving family and friends can visit the precise location of a grave. Columbarium walls are a common feature of many cemeteries, reflecting the increasing use of cremation rather than burial . While cremated remains can be kept at home by families in urns or scattered in some significant or attractive place, neither of these approaches allows for a long-lasting commemorative plaque to honour
10540-629: The men were pardoned in 1838. The monument was erected some 50 years after their stand, but was inspired by the Reform Act brought about by their original actions. (See also: List of statues of Abraham Lincoln ) The American Civil War Memorial , also known as the Scottish-American Soldiers Monument, was dedicated on 21 August 1893 to Scots who fought and died in the American Civil War . Depicting
10664-521: The monument has an interesting detail. A small oval medallion at the base contains the motif of a caterpillar changing into a butterfly, symbolic of the soul leaving the body. The inscription is in Greek. The work of architect Robert Burn (1752–1815) includes Nelson's Monument on Calton Hill. This imposing family vault says nothing of his works. He was a respected architect by most, but not by his near-namesake Robert Burns , who commissioned Burn to erect
10788-449: The need for the establishment of large municipal cemeteries and encouraged their construction outside London. The same bill also closed all inner London churchyards to new deposits. The Magnificent Seven , seven large cemeteries around London, were established in the following decade, starting with Kensal Green in 1832. Urban planner and author John Claudius Loudon was one of the first professional cemetery designers, and his book On
10912-524: The niches may be assigned by the cemetery authorities or families may choose from the unoccupied niches available. It is usually possible to purchase (or pay a deposit) to reserve the use of adjacent niches for other family members. The use of adjacent niches (vertically or horizontally) usually permits a larger plaque spanning all the niches involved, which provides more space for the writing. As with graves, there may be separate columbarium walls for different religions or for war veterans. As with lawn cemeteries,
11036-502: The old US flag, and is wreathed in thistles to the left, and cotton to the right. Two regimental flags lie furled, the battle being over. The black man holds a book, indicating that he is not only free, he is also now educated. The monument was erected at American expense to a small group of Scots (only one of whom, William Duff, is buried under the monument, the rest being nearby) to whom it felt indebted, and wished their graves to be marked, despite their later poverty. They had all fought for
11160-399: The original expectation was that people would prefer the uncluttered simplicity of a wall of plaques, but the practice of leaving flowers is very entrenched. Mourners leave flowers (and other objects) on top of columbarium walls or at the base, as close as they can to the plaque of their family member. In some cases, it is possible to squeeze a piece of wire or string under the plaque allowing
11284-497: The other because of diseases. So the villagers would dig graves close by burying members of the same family in one area. That was how the family and tribal burial grounds came about... If the family ran out of space, they would open old graves where family members had been buried before and add more people to them. This process is known as khashf . During famines and outbreaks of epidemics huge numbers of people would die and many tribes faced difficulties in digging new graves because of
11408-405: The parish churchyards due to the split. Most new churches are in restricted urban areas and most lack burial ground. Consequently, most Free Church members had to rely on burial grounds for burial. In this instance, Candlish has chosen to be buried in this more traditional, but still effectively non-denominational graveyard. His stone makes no mention of his achievements. James Candlish, his father,
11532-410: The place of burial. Usually, the more writing and symbols carved on the headstone, the more expensive it was. As with most other human property such as houses and means of transport, richer families used to compete for the artistic value of their family headstone in comparison to others around it, sometimes adding a statue (such as a weeping angel ) on the top of the grave. Those who could not pay for
11656-423: The plaques. Thus, the niches are typically placed between 1 metre to 2 metres above the ground so the plaques can be easily read by an adult. Some columbarium walls have niches going close to ground level, but these niches are usually unpopular with families as it is difficult to read the plaque without bending down very low (something older people in particular find difficult or uncomfortable to do). As with graves,
11780-415: The process of decomposition. Nonetheless, urban cemeteries which were heavily used were often very unhealthy. Receiving vaults and crypts often needed to be aired before entering, as decomposing corpses used up so much oxygen that even candles could not remain lit. The sheer stench from decomposing corpses, even when buried deeply, was overpowering in areas adjacent to the urban cemetery. Decomposition of
11904-423: The property but technically not owned with it. Often, cemeteries are relocated to accommodate building. However, if the cemetery is not relocated, descendants of people buried there may visit the cemetery. There is also the practice of families with large estates choosing to create private cemeteries in the form of burial sites, monuments , crypts , or mausoleums on their property; the mausoleum at Fallingwater
12028-537: The publishing rights to the Encyclopædia Britannica (1812). The bankruptcy of Scott and the Ballantyne brothers took Constable with them for a while, as all were linked. This large simplistic monument bears his head in bronze and the date of death but says nothing of his achievements. Constable's nephew lies some yards to the west against the dividing wall. He was a lawyer of no huge note, but
12152-576: The pupils of the Royal High School placed a commemorative wall plaque inside the vault in 1929 (to mark the school's centenary). The Scottish Political Martyrs' Monument is a 90-foot (27 m) tall obelisk which is a prominent feature on the Edinburgh sky-line. It was funded by public subscription raised by the radical MP Joseph Hume . The monument bears the following inscription: To The Memory Of Thomas Muir, Thomas Fyshe Palmer, William Skirving, Maurice Margarot and Joseph Gerrald. Erected by
12276-430: The quick re-use of grave sites in comparison with conventional burials. However, it is unclear if reusing cemetery land will be culturally acceptable to most people. In keeping with the intention of "returning to nature" and the early re-use potential, natural cemeteries do not normally have conventional grave markings such as headstones . Instead, exact GPS recordings and or the placing of a tree, bush or rock often marks
12400-642: The rear wall of the vault, having been erected by the pupils of the Royal High School on the centenary of the building of the school, June 1929. The stone in front of this vault has interesting Masonic iconography. Curiously, in terms of the juxtaposition, he was architect of the Martyrs' Monument just a few yards north of his grave. Daniel Stewart (1741–1814) was the founder of Daniel Stewart's Hospital, one of Edinburgh's leading schools. This later became Daniel Stewart's College before merging with another school to form Stewart's Melville College . His sealed tomb has
12524-431: The relevant place of worship with an indication of their name, date of death and other biographical data. In Europe, this was often accompanied by a depiction of their coat of arms . Most others were buried in graveyards again divided by social status. Mourners who could afford the work of a stonemason had a headstone engraved with a name, dates of birth and death and sometimes other biographical data, and set up over
12648-465: The scythe, is crossed with another implement, most likely a lance or dart, both of which are favoured symbols to be crossed with a scythe in funeral art; below, crossed bones. Down the right side is a female head, wearing a bonnet (his mother). Ribbons from the bonnet link again to symbols of mortality: a spade crossed (Tool of the sexton) with a coffin, and again crossed bones. This very recently erected stone commemorates John McDougall (VC) (1840–1869),
12772-543: The site of the Political Martyrs' Monument , an obelisk erected to the memory of a number of political reformers, and Scotland's American Civil War Memorial . The burial ground was altered following the construction of Waterloo Place in 1819, which divided the graveyard into two sections. Along with Edinburgh's other historic graveyards, Old Calton is managed by City of Edinburgh Council . The burial ground, including screen walls, and its monuments are protected as
12896-457: The stage and then is heard no more. William Shakespeare , Macbeth , V, v. Pity it is that the momentary beauties flowing from an harmonious elocution cannot, like those of poetry, be their own record, that the animated graces of the player can live no longer than the instant breath and motion that presents them or at best can faintly glimmer through the memory of imperfect attestation of a few surviving spectators. Colley Cibber , Shakespeare in
13020-401: The stone over the grave of poor Fergusson. He was two years in erecting it after I had commissioned him for it, and I have been two years in paying him after he sent me his account, so he and I are quits!" Both William and John Burn, his sons, were also eminent architects. John is also buried here, but with no specific memorial. The monument itself is designed by his first son, William Burn , who
13144-466: The tools of the sexton indicating more symbols of mortality together they remind us that death will come to us all. It is inscribed "Here lyes Margrat Thomson, spous to James Forsyth, shoemecker in Calton. She died Apl 30th 1760 and aged 43 years & allso 8th of her children". Even from an early age, the painter David Allan (1744–1796) showed artistic talent, being expelled from school for caricaturing
13268-473: The top of the cemetery to create new burial space. A monumental cemetery is the traditional style of cemetery where headstones or other monuments made of marble , granite or similar materials rise vertically above the ground (typically around 50 cm but some can be over 2 metres high). Often the entire grave is covered by a slab, commonly concrete , but it can be more expensive materials such as marble or granite , and/or has its boundaries delimited by
13392-403: The urban area, and many urban cemeteries in the late 20th century touted their role as an environmental refuge. Many urban cemeteries are characterized by multiple burials in the same grave. Multiple burials is a consequence of the limited size of the urban cemetery, which cannot easily expand due to adjacent building development. It was not uncommon for an urban cemetery to begin adding soil to
13516-483: Was a household name across Europe in the 18th century, and a critical figure in the Scottish Enlightenment . He was a strong influence on many other thinkers and public figures, Adam Smith among them. However, his grave had to be guarded for 8 days after burial, due to strong public hostility towards him at the time of his death, largely due to his professed atheism . In his will Hume requested that
13640-498: Was a medical lecturer in Edinburgh University and is also buried here. He was a friend of Robert Burns , who in 1791 described him as "the earliest friend, except me only brother, that I have on earth, and one of the worthiest fellows that ever any man called by the name of friend". Jean Smith, James' wife and Robert's mother, was one of the "Belles of Mauchline" referred to by Burns. Thomas Hamilton RSA (1784–1858),
13764-529: Was architect of the Royal High School building on Regent Road, the Bank of Scotland on the Mound , Physicians Hall on Queen Street, the Dean Gallery , and many other notable buildings, mainly in Edinburgh and Ayrshire. He co-founded the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) in 1826. His monument is relatively recent and he was previously undeclared within his family vault. There is now a bronze plaque bearing his likeness on
13888-485: Was born on 11 January 1784 in Glasgow to Jean Stevenson and Thomas Hamilton (1754–1824), a carpenter (wright) and cabinet-maker who also worked as an architect, His mother and father were married at the Canongate Church in 1783. His father returned to Edinburgh after his birth and was most notable for remodelling the north-west corner of St Giles' Cathedral in 1796. He was presumably watched by Hamilton who
14012-526: Was granted for an access road, originally known as High Calton and now the street called Calton Hill , up the steep hill from the village to the burial ground. The Society of the Trades of Calton expanded the burial ground a number of times. Burials ceased in 1869 but the Society remained in control until 1888. A new road, named Waterloo Place after the contemporary victory at Waterloo , was approved in 1814 and built between 1815 and 1819. This road cut through
14136-415: Was marked by a plaque unveiled in 2011. Playfair's monument (designed by William Henry Playfair) stands on Calton Hill rather than on his grave, and can be seen from the north section of the graveyard. Peter Williamson (1730–1799), nicknamed "Indian Peter", was a colourful character born near Aberdeen. He was kidnapped and sold into slavery at the age of 13, and is one of the few well-documented examples of
14260-514: Was never paid. His father was then pursued through the courts from 1818-1822, resulting in the poinding of his goods. His father removed to Currie where he died in June 1824. Hamilton's earliest known architectural drawing, dated 1813, is a plan requested by the Dean of Guild for a scheme by Robert Burn (architect) (1752–1815) to remodel a house on St Andrew Street. Hamilton was a founding member of
14384-499: Was not immediately accepted. But by the early 1800s, existing churchyards were growing overcrowded and unhealthy, with graves stacked upon each other or emptied and reused for new burials. As a reaction to this, the first "garden" cemetery – Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris – opened in 1804. Because these cemeteries were usually on the outskirts of town (where land was plentiful and cheap), they were called " rural cemeteries ",
14508-586: Was not popular with publishers), advising him to publish the Waverley novels . Constable started to collect books from an early age, and was apprenticed to a bookseller at 14. By 1795 (aged 21) he had his own bookshop. In 1798 he began his notable career as a publisher. He founded Farmer's Magazine (1800), took over the Scots Magazine (1801), founded the Edinburgh Review (1802) and obtained
14632-619: Was not uncommon in some places, such as England, for fresher corpses to be chopped up to aid decomposition, and for bones to be burned to create fertilizer. The re-use of graves allowed for a steady stream of income, which enabled the cemetery to remain well-maintained and in good repair. Not all urban cemeteries engaged in re-use of graves, and cultural taboos often prevented it. Many urban cemeteries have fallen into disrepair and become overgrown, as they lacked endowments to fund perpetual care. Many urban cemeteries today are thus home to wildlife, birds, and plants which cannot be found anywhere else in
14756-569: Was of Greek neo-classical style, and he received 200 guineas (£12000 in today's terms). In his final years he was living at 41 York Place. Interestingly, in deference to his father, he is still referred to as "Thomas Hamilton Junior, architect". He died at 9 Howe Street (an office) on 24 February 1858. He is buried in John Hamilton's vault in Old Calton Cemetery , a few yards south of the Martyrs Monument. Originally unmarked,
14880-1286: Was subscribed in one-hundred dollar subscriptions from fifty gentlemen including: [2] Levi P Morton , Cornelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie , John S Kennedy , William Rockefeller , J. Pierpont Morgan , William Waldorf Astor , John Sloane, George Peabody Wetmore , Daniel Appleton Harper & Brothers, J. Kennedy Tod , John B. Dutcher , Solomon Turok, Caledonian Club, and Henderson Brothers of New York, David A Boody , John Arbuckle , Henry R. Heath, Francis H. Wilson , Andrew D. Baird, Andrew R Baird, Alexander S. Baird, William W. Baird and Joseph Stewart of Brooklyn, E. C. Benedict of Greenwich Conn.; James Benedict of Norwalk Conn.; Lynde Harrison of New Haven, Conn; John Beattie of Leete's Island, Conn.; Henry L Young, Andrew Smith, John Donald, and Wallace Bruce of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Peter Kinnear of Albany, N.Y.; George Munger of Fishkill, N.Y.; S. D. Coykendall of Rondout, N.Y.; J. Watts de Peyster of Tivoli, N.Y.; Edwin B. Sheldon of Delhi, N.Y.; E. Lemon and Nathan Bickford of Washington, D.C.; R. B. Leuchare and Henry Norwell of Boston, Mass.; W. J. Murphy of Phoenix, Arizona; J. B. White and friends of Fort Wayne, Ind.; Mr. McDonald of Cincinnati, Ohio; Thomas Waddell of West Pittston, Penn.; and George W. Childs of Philadelphia. It
15004-438: Was the widow of Sgt Major McEwan who originally initiated the request by writing a letter of complaint to the United States government. A number of 18th-century monuments to local tradesmen are interesting for their detailed carving. The largest and most elaborate of these is that of John Morton, heelmaker, who died in 1728, aged 54. Although a long inscription is given, the stone is more notable for its form and decoration. It has
15128-436: Was then 12 years old. In 1791 his father, working from premises on Brodies Close, substantially altered a building at the head of Old Assembly Close on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh to make it their family home (now known as 166 High Street). It is notable for its arched windows on the first floor, all visible from the street and unlike the other rectangular windows in the block. The Hamiltons occupied all three upper floors,
15252-596: Was usefully linked to one of the world's first street directories. He is buried in the Scott family grave along with his daughter Agnes Williamson Scott who married into the Scott family, however Peter Williamson's name does not appear on the monument. Cemetery A cemetery , burial ground , gravesite , graveyard , or a green space called a memorial park , is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word cemetery (from Greek κοιμητήριον ' sleeping place ' ) implies that
15376-540: Was usually accompanied by the establishing of landscaped burial grounds outside the city (e.g. extramural). In Britain the movement was driven by dissenters and public health concerns. The Rosary Cemetery in Norwich was opened in 1819 as a burial ground for all religious backgrounds. Similar private non-denominational cemeteries were established near industrialising towns with growing populations, such as Manchester (1821) and Liverpool (1825). Each cemetery required
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