New Calton Cemetery, Edinburgh, Historic burial ground on Regent Road, Edinburgh, Scotland.
New Calton Cemetery is a burial ground on Regent Road in Edinburgh, set on the southeastern slope of Calton Hill. The grounds are arranged across several levels, with stone paths connecting terraces that face toward Holyrood Palace and Arthur's Seat.
The cemetery opened in 1820 after the Old Calton Burial Ground had to give way to the construction of Waterloo Place. A number of graves were moved from the old site to this one during that transition.
Many of the graves here belong to tradespeople and merchants who shaped Edinburgh in the 1800s. Their carved stones often feature symbols of their trades, which you can spot as you walk from one level to the next.
The grounds can be visited on foot, but some sections have steep slopes and uneven surfaces, so sturdy shoes are a good idea. The site sits at an elevated position and can be exposed to wind, so dress accordingly.
A small watch tower stands at the upper corner of the grounds, built in the 1800s to deter body snatchers who supplied Edinburgh's medical schools with cadavers. It is one of the few such structures still standing in the city today.
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