South Leith Parish Church and Cemetary

On my way to and from work, I often cut through the South Leith Parish cemetary on Constitution Street. My options are to go up the shopping alley past the delights of Lidl, Cash Converters and that Frozen Food place and then further up under some schemey apartment block, or to go around down Constitution Street which for some reason reminds me of men peeing on walls, or to cut through the lovely cemetary that's usually open during the day.

I think the answer is obvious.

The church website claims history dating back to the days of William Wallace, but more than likely the bulding and grounds itself only date back some 200-300 years. (The nearby Leith Town Hall, current home of the Leith Police) was built in the late 1800's.) Most of the gravestones in the cemetary date back to the 1700's and 1800's, though not all of them are legible.

[Agnes Sutherland]

THEIR ELDEST DAUGHTER

DIED 11TH OCTOBER 1865

AGED 2 YEARS

WILLIAM ANDERSON

THEIR SECOND SON

CHEIF ENGINEER S.S. ESPARTO

DROWNED IN THE ENGLISH CHANNEL

20TH NOVEMBER 1897

AGED 29 YEARS

HUGH JOHN CUTHBERTSON

THIER THIRD SON

DIED AT KALIMPONG INDIA

7TH SEPTEMBER 1914

AGED 43 YEARS

In Memory of

JEAN C NICOLL

Daughter of

MICHAEL NICOLL, Baker in Leith

who died 13th Aug 1813

Aged 19 years

Her blameless life

and mild unassuming manners

Endeared her to all who knew her.

She will live long in the

Recollection of her Friends,

the ardent Affection of her Parents,

(which was reciprocal) will only terminate

with their Existence.

Here lie also the Remains of

MARY and MARGARET

who died Young

Also SARRAH KYLES his Spouse

who Died July 6th 1818

Aged 43 years

Sacred

to the Memory of

JAMES MACNEILL

eldest son of Rob Jolly

surgeon

who died 29th Dec 1828

Aged eight years

and nine months

He was a mild amiable and

a promising youth and

will ever be Remembered

with the deepest regret

by his aflicted parents.

ROBERT PATTERSON his Son

died the 2nd Jan 1830

Aged 7 years and 5 month

much regretted.

Mrs MARY BLACK MACNEILL

his wife died 2nd June 1831

She was a good wife [text obscured]

There are other pictures, other stones, and other stories that linger under the trees. Babies who lived only long enough to have a name, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, all are mourned. The most recent stone I saw was 2004; most were in the eras named above.

It's definitely worth a look if you're in the area. It's a peaceful oasis in the sea of noise and junkies.