Cemeteries and memorials to visit United Kingdom

The Real Mary King's Close is a collection of alleys and underground dwellings that were in the heart of Old Town in the 17th century. They took the name of one of the daughters of the lawyer Alexander Close who owned several properties there. In the 18th century, they were partially demolished and buried during the construction of the City Chambers. It was from that moment, in the bowels of the city, that the maze entered into the darkest mysteries and legends of Edinburgh; and this, for 400 years. Archaeologists' research has made it possible to understand how some poor families have found refuge there in the face of the capital's overpopulation. It was also here that the plague patients were isolated so that they would die hidden from everyone. The evocation of the disease is then an opportunity to disentangle the true from the false and to fight many preconceived ideas. Ghost stories are legendary, such as that of a little girl named Annie who was seen by a medium and to whom many visitors still bring gifts today, or those of the many victims of the legendary murderers Burke and Hare, whom they reportedly hid before selling them to hospitals. Reopened to the public in 2003, The Real Mary King's Close lifts the veil on dark hours and cursed destinies, in a gloomy universe that does not leave anyone indifferent. The visit lasts one hour and makes sense thanks to actors in costumes for a successful immersion.

This 1620 church is not only famous for its monument to the Covenanters, the Scottish Presbyterians who fought against the imposition of the Anglican faith. Its mysterious cemetery, dotted with moss and old stones, is the final resting place of the most devoted dog in Scottish culture: Greyfriars Bobby. After the death of his owner, a policeman named John Gray, this little Skye Terrier came to sleep next to his master's remains for 14 years, until his own death in 1872. Today, the two friends are buried side by side and a statue honors the memory of faithful Bobby on George IV Bridge. More recently, other graves have been recorded as having inspired J. K. Rowling as she wrote regularly from the nearby Elephant House café. Potterheads and the curious will find the poet William McGonagall, the Potter family, and Thomas Riddell, who is believed to be the origin of Voldemort's birth name. Since the latter is often the most sought-after, we'll save you some time: once in the cemetery, go around the church and into a walled annex to George Heriot's School. The grave is at the far right.

More hidden, you will also find Sirius Black, Slughorn and Alastor Moody. If you wish, there are 100% Harry Potter tours! This is the most famous cemetery in Scotland.

Located south of Kensington Gardens, opposite the Royal Albert Hall, this neo-Gothic memorial was commissioned by Queen Victoria to commemorate her husband and great love Prince Albert of Saxony Coburg Gotha. It measures almost 50 meters and was completed in 1872. A gilded statue depicts Albert holding a catalog from the 1851 Universal Exhibition. The Kensington district, also known as Albertopolis, owes a great deal to Prince Albert, who thought up and supported the creation of the world's greatest museums, including the famous Victoria & Albert Museum.

April 16, 1746 marked the end of the last Jacobite revolution and hopes for the Stuart dynasty to regain the throne of Scotland. After threatening to take London, Bonnie Prince Charlie's troops retreat to the Highlands where they are pursued by the Duke of Cumberland's men. The two armies meet on the plain of Culloden, and the Scots are outnumbered to win. Their defeat is total after one hour and Charles is forced to flee. It's a must if you're passionate about Scottish history.

Museum area: It tells the story of the battle from both points of view, with period objects in support. It thus retraces everything one might want to know about this major event in national history, with reconstitution films and a great deal of information on the ins and outs of the battle. Ultra modern, it offers a 360-degree immersion theatre of combat.

Open Access: The battlefield is visible (but not accessible) in open access, as is the Leanach Cottage, which has been open for visitation since it reopened to visitors in 2019. This traditional thatched cottage built in the 18th century was still inhabited in 1912. It has been restored and has become a free temporary exhibition space.

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This beautiful Victorian cemetery is a must-see when you're in the small village of Highgate. Among the anonymous are some 850 notables and celebrities, including Karl Marx and George Eliot. But it's the Gothic appearance of the tombs - angels, funerary urns, Celtic crosses, all surrounded by lush vegetation - that really stands out. Following bizarre incidents in the 1970s, vampire hunts shook public opinion. The latest famous arrival is George Michael, but his grave in a private plot is not accessible.

It was here, during the first Jacobite revolution, that the men of the Highland clans opposed the Orangemen on July 27, 1689. The victory was Scottish. This small visitor centre of the National Trust traces its history, while providing valuable information about the nature of the surroundings and their landscapes. The place lends itself perfectly to walking and hiking, with a footbridge offering superb views, a wooded and flowery gorge...

An Anglo-Jamaican, Mary Seacole (1805-1881) was a nurse by vocation. Although she is best known for having traveled the Caribbean, treating the most destitute populations, she is most famous and respected for her commitment to the Crimean War. After being refused a place on a team of white nurses organized by Florence Nightingale, she decided to join the Crimean front on her own initiative during the war of 1854. It was a decision that precipitated her impoverishment, forcing her to stay in the Crimea longer than she had planned. Although she was a contemporary of nurse Florence Nightingale, and just as famous as the latter in her day, Mary Seacole has been forgotten by history. Her story, which nonetheless commands respect, is a crying illustration of the importance of the intersectionality of struggles. In London, it wasn't until 2016 and the erection of this statue in the gardens of St. Thomas's Hospital that a black woman was represented in public space. In front of Westminster Palace, Mary Seacole is shown walking into the wind, right fist clenched, medicine bag on her back, in a posture combining power and humility. The statue is 4.9 m high and made of bronze. On her back is a large bronze disk, symbolizing the land on which Mary Seacole had set up her treatment center in the Crimea.

Pentre Ifan Burial Chamber, a circle of stones in a field overlooking the valley, three stones support a five-metre-long boulder thought to weigh almost sixteen tonnes. As its name suggests, this is an ancient burial chamber dating back to 3500 BC. One of the most beautiful phenomena of its kind. We still don't know how the men of the megalithic period managed to gather and lift all this! Awe-inspiring!

It was the first piece of land to become the property of the National Trust in 1895, and the people of Barmouth are very proud of it. From the top, you can admire Cardigan Bay, the Caernarfon Hills and even Bardsey Island. The trail runs along the cliff for 5 km and offers an impressive panorama of the town, the estuary and Cader Idris.

It's accessed by a path on the High Street. You will come face to face with "the Frenchman's grave" where Auguste Guyard, a Frenchman who lived in Barmouth, a great friend of Victor Hugo, is buried.

Owned by the city since 1869, this Protestant cemetery alone contains a page of Belfast's history. Here lie the people who "made" the history of the city, industrialists, politicians, businessmen and inventors. Celtic crosses testify to the acceptance of Irish symbols, until 1921 when these crosses became rare. The cemetery can be visited for its Victorian graves, some of which are real little (last) homes. Nearly 225,000 people are buried in this cemetery.

Milltown Cemetery, owned by the Catholic Church since 1869, traces the history of Belfast's republicans, some of whom died as a result of political events that separated the Protestant and Catholic communities. 154 republicans died for their cause of freedom and rights and are buried here (including Bobby Sands, Joe McDonnell and Kieran Doherty, three IRA volunteers who died on hunger strike in 1981). Memorial plaques are erected in memory of all these political activists.

This memorial garden is dedicated to the memory of the members of the IRA. The site hosts a rough stone fountain and benches for meditation. One of the significant events of the clashes in the neighborhood is recounted with the engraving of a woman defying curfew and bringing back food. It is important to know that every inhabitant in West Belfast has a strong family history with a member of the IRA or a political prisoner. The atmosphere here is reflected in the more than 20 memorials, plaques and gardens.

Just off the A4080, 3.2 km northwest of Aberffraw. This prehistoric burial chamber has the peculiarity of having incisions on its stones, zigzags, spirals and diamonds. It is likely that these primitive drawings are a representation of the mother goddess. If you would like to visit the interior of the room, please contact the Wayside Stores in Llanfaelog by phone, ideally a little early! The visit is worth the detour.

It sounds silly to say that a cemetery is quiet, but that's the main interest of the place, this soothing and restful aspect. With its old Victorian graves, covered with moss and all slightly bent, the place does not lack charm. They only come alive with the presence of numerous squirrels who also enjoy the calm of the surroundings. If some English personalities are buried here, it is however the tombs of anonymous people which present the most interest. A beautiful place for a contemplative and serene moment.