6. John Knox’s burial site
Known as Scotland’s greatest Protestant Reformer of the 16th century, John Knox was a Scottish minister, theologian, and writer who was a leader of the country’s Reformation. So it may come as a surprise to know that his burial site is in a ….. parking lot??
Parliament Square, near St Giles’ Cathedral on the Royal Mile, was originally an adjacent burial ground, running down the slope of the hill to the south of the city. In the seventeenth-century, plans were made to reclaim the graveyard space and develop it as prime real estate. The bodies that had been buried were exhumed and transported to the nearby Greyfriars kirkyard, and a new parliament hall was built on the site beside the cathedral.
However, one burial marker remains in the parking lot of Parliament Square today. Under parking space number 23 is a stone marking the final resting place of John Knox. Unfortunately, the stone not so clear as to whether Knox is still buried there – differing versions of the city history can’t agree on whether his corpse was exhumed, along with the rest of the burials, or whether Knox was considered the one figure important enough to leave ‘at rest’ when the graveyard was cleared. Either way, I’m not sure I would want to be the one to use that parking spot!
Susan
That was very interesting!! So much information in 1 mile!! I can’t wait to see it all:).