The Howff, Historical cemetery and category A listed building in central Dundee, Scotland
The Howff is a category A listed cemetery in the centre of Dundee, Scotland, with around 1,000 surviving carved tombstones. Many of these stones bear trade guild emblems and mortality symbols, making the ground an open-air record of the town's past.
The land once belonged to a Franciscan friary as an orchard before Mary Queen of Scots gave it to Dundee in 1564 to serve as a burial ground. The name itself comes from the Scots word for a familiar meeting place, which reflects how the site was used for centuries.
Many of the carved stones display trade symbols that identify the profession of the person buried below, from shoemakers to weavers. Walking through the grounds today, visitors can read these images like a directory of the working life of old Dundee.
The main entrance is on Meadowside, within easy walking distance of Dundee city centre. The ground is mostly level but can be uneven in places, so sturdy footwear is a good idea.
A small stone in the northwest corner is said to mark the resting place of Grissel Jaffray, reportedly the last woman executed for witchcraft in Dundee in 1669. Visitors still leave coins on the stone, even though her exact burial spot has never been confirmed.
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