Reviews of Canongate Kirk. (Church) in Edinburgh (Edinburgh).

Canongate Kirk

226 Reviews

99 Comments

Church

Presbyterian church

153 Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8BN, United Kingdom

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Description

Information of Canongate Kirk, Church in Edinburgh (Edinburgh)

On this page you’ll find the address, open hours, more popular times, the contact, photos and real reviews of this business.

This business has received very good reviews from their customers, so probably it’s a place you should try if you are looking for this kind of services.

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Reviews of Canongate Kirk

C. G.

It was my first time inside today and was so impressed by how welcoming the decor is! The stewards on today were both so chatty and friendly it was an absolute delight talking to them andd having certain parts pointed out. (especially where Her Majesty sits while at a service) While i have enjoyed many a stroll round its kirkyard seeing inside was a real delight. I will be back again soon.

C. I.

Went here to see a show last night, the show which was a fund raiser for Parkinsons was brilliant the ladies and gents put on a 1st class show. Very impressed at how beautiful this church is on the inside.

L. F. A.

Nice and quiet place full of graves, some of them from 1800s. Close to Holyrood palace and Holyrood park. You can also walk to Calton Hill from here. This is one of the stops of those hop on hop off buses, so it's a good place to stop and take some nice pictures. Entrance is free.

j. g.

Loved the old cemetary. Went on a ghost tour that ended here. Sone very interesting stories. This is the church the Quenn goes to when she's in Scotland was my understanding.

I. P.

An amazing church with many graves. Very beautiful and peaceful place.

M. P.

Peaceful and historically educating. As a tourist its a good idea to pick up trash if you see it.

R. W.

First visit, interesting church very light inside with friendly ambience

M. O.

Beautiful and peaceful cemetery. It's a must see if you like the paranormal or history. Many great poets are buried here. Also, Dickens got his inspiration for his character, Ebenezer Scrooge from a headstone in this cemetery. Many graves from as early as the 17th century. Amazing!

D. M.

Visually good looking church.near to Scottish parliament building,worth a bisit

R. G.

Check out the tomb of Adam Smith, a famous 18th century Scottish economist.

S. O.

The cemetery has the tombstone of Adam Smith, but it is behind a fence, hard to take a photo of.

M. C.

Really well kept and home to notable "celebrities". Fantastic views across Edinburgh. There was a chap in there hiding behind a grave and being a bit weird when I visited so I'd suggest caution if you visit but it was hopefully a one off.

S. S.

If you like old graveyards, and churches with history, then this is a must see. A notable grave is that of Adam Smith. Several walking tours incorporate this church and there are plenty of ghoulish stories of grave robberies and body snatching. It would fill in about 30 minutes of casual strolling on the way to/from Holyrood Palace.

c. m. b. d.

Great old church yard and beautiful old church

P. T.

Viewed from the outside only. In need of some careful maintenance. Quite interesting as a historic site, with some notable graves. Good to see in the daytime but also visited on a night time city "ghost" tour. Easily accessed in a central location.

C. G.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse is in the parish of Canongate Kirk with the Monarch being one of its parishioners. I witnessed a spectacular wedding there not so long ago with Rolls Royces and beautifully adorned bridesmaids.

J. B.

Canongate Kirk has seen some celebrity and Royal weddings (tip: if you want a good view, go across to the first floor of the Museum of Childhood). The grounds are lovely to explore. It seems to have become a tradition to throw coins on the grave of Adam Smith. A lovely place for some quiet reflection.

K. J.

A very interesting church and cemetery. Worth a visit.

R. T. (. t.

Lovely understated church, frequented by The Queen and other members of the Royal Family. Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall got married here. When we first passed by the church was closed but we were able to walk around the grounds, however the following day we were fortunate to be passing when it was open for viewing. The volunteers on duty that day were very helpful and knowledgeable and I must give a special mention to Anne and Anne who made our visit even better than it would otherwise have been with lots of interesting facts and information.

J. E.

Small traditional church were royals have been recently married.v.old with large northward slopping graveyard.many notable crypts of once famous well to do folk from the enlightenment,discreet,good for kids, picnic or just peaceful interesting rest place (for the living!) j.e.

S. E. G.

Be aware it is a beautiful spot but the grounds do have issues. On our visit there was clearly homeless sleeping here at the bottom end. First we encountered lots or rubbish, beer cans etc. Then we noticed a Sharps bin is installed but we sadly still encountered needles and left quickly as we had a child present. Shame really.

C. B.

A crumbling Victorian cemetery full of the resting places of those in society of the high Victorian Edinburgh upper middle class

I. R.

Loved visiting this graveyard as part of a tour with mercat tours. However, the guide told us she wouldn't take us to the catacombs at the bottom of the graveyard as it was slippy. We visited the following day to be met with lots and lots of drug stuff like needles and wipes etc!! Although the overall experience was excellent, watch out where you stand!

O. S.

A 12th century church founded by King David after he fought off a white stag near the grounds of the church.

s. k.

The Canongate Kirkyard (English: Churchyard) stands around Canongate Kirk on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland. The churchyard was used for burials from the late 1680s until the mid-20th century. The most celebrated burials at the kirkyard are the economist Adam Smith and the poet Robert Fergusson, but many other notable people were interred in the cemetery. It has been claimed that David Rizzio, the murdered private secretary of Mary, Queen of Scots lies here, although it is highly unlikely that an Italian Catholic would be reinterred in a Protestant graveyard 120 years after his death. The Canongate was, until the 19th century, a separate parish from Edinburgh. This separate parish was formerly served by Holyrood Abbey at the foot of the Royal Mile, and Lady Yester's Church on High School Wynd. In 1687 King James VII adopted the abbey church as a Royal Chapel,[1] and the general population worshipped in Lady Yester's Kirk (built in 1647) until 1691. Both of these sites formerly served as burial grounds to the parish. The new Canongate Kirk was founded in 1688 and completed in 1691.[1] A large area of ground was purchased beyond that required for the erection of the church, and this appears to have been used for burial immediately from the church's foundation in 1688. This area is now fully occupied as a burial ground. Due to peculiarities in the parish boundaries, the parish also included some properties on the Nor Loch and, due to an ancient charter linking the castle to Holyrood, also Edinburgh Castle, which saw itself as separate from the parish of Edinburgh, under St Giles'. This led to many burials of soldiers from the castle within the section to the north of the churchyard. In 1952 the old Church Hall to the east, facing the Canongate, was demolished. This area was reformed as a sunken garden and the Burgh Cross, dating from 1128, was relocated here as a centre-piece, having formerly stood in the roadway in front of the church. The cross was restored in 1888, when it was moved from its temporary home in front of the Canongate Tolbooth to in front of the church, before its transition to the sunken garden in 1953. The Canongate Kirkyard has been calculated to have 62 tombs, 140 monuments and 150 wall plaques, ledgers, etc. David Rizzio (or Riccio) (1533–1566) was an Italian courtier of Mary, Queen of Scots. Born near Turin, he became valet to the Queen in 1561 and was promoted to be her secretary in 1564. He was enormously unpopular and was stabbed to death, in the presence of the Queen, in her chamber in Holyrood Palace. The murderers included Mary's husband, Lord Darnley. The body was interred in Holyrood Abbey but was allegedly moved to Canongate churchyard in 1688. A small bronze plaque on the east wall of the church, above a worn 17th-century flat tombstone, reads: "Tradition says that this is the grave of David Riccio 1533–1566 Transported from Holyrood." It is more likely to be a fanciful story to attach to the old but illegible stone (which may be the stone of Bishop James Ramsay). Holyrood was still a royal chapel in 1688, and there would have been little popular support to move this body to the "people's" churchyard. Rizzio being a Catholic, it is also hard to explain why he would be buried in a Protestant churchyard. If the story is true, the stone dates from roughly the time of the re-interment, and is a costly stone for someone who, particularly a century after death, would have no living friends or relatives. The bronze plaque is thought to date from the 1950s.

A. K.

Looks like it used to be a nice church until they painted over all the old woodwork in baby blue and put a golden deer head on the top of the roof instead of a cross...

T. A.

Adam Smith's Grave is located here. A must see (and it will only take you 5 minutes!)

E. R.

Friendly congregation, beautiful building. Services at 10:00 and 11:15 each Sunday.

L. K.

A lot of local events n concert organize in this church. The graveyard at the back of the church

B. C.

Was alright, the place wasn't very lively

R. H.

Messy poorly maintained grounds. Worth a 3 min stroll in and out. But that's all.

j. b.

Dead center of Edinburgh is the walls round it to stop zombies from going walkabout?

Look for the markings on the floor outside the Kirk, you can find Adam Smith's tomb

H. L.

Nice well maintained graveyard and the resting place of Adam Smith.

A. S.

Interesting grave site as well as church.

K. K.

A place where Adam Smith were laid. Go inside, turn left Adam is on the your left.

T. D. S.

Lovely church

A. P. F.

Historic church, rather nondescript inside.

C. A.

Walked round the graveyard which was very interesting and very old.

P. B.

Kept welll

J. S.

Great history in such an small place.

S. H.

Lots of history to the place and glad we stopped in.

A. A.

Ghost tour brought me here. Lots of history happened here.

S. B.

Very good place to visit and stay

A. C.

A very old Scottish monument...

C. G.

I love taking pictures here.

L. G.

Good lovely inside

C. G.

Interesting heraldic banners.

M. G.

Beautiful hidden place

B. B.

Beautiful church

R. B.

Fascinating building.

L. B.

Looking forward to visiting

L. W.

Church for the army in Edinburgh

L. H.

Historic place

T. R.

amazing church

J. G.

Cool wee kirk

G. A.

Cool place.

(Translated) The place seems neglected. As for a historical object, it does not look good. In several places there are traces of accommodation, probably of homeless people. The burial place of Adam Smith. George Mackenzie is said to be buried here as well. (Original) Miejsce sprawia wrażenie zaniedbanego. Jak na obiekt historyczny to nie wygląda to dobrze. W kilku miejscach są ślady po noclegu zapewne ludzi bezdomnych. Miejsce pochówku Adama Smitha. Podobno spoczywa tutaj również George Mackenzie.

L. F. P. S.

(Translated) We have walked through the lower part of the Royal Mile called Canongate, on countless occasions and we had always noticed this curious construction with remarkable golden decorations on its facade, but always closed. It was Christmas 2017 when we were lucky and we were able to access both the previous patio, the interior of this church and the curious cemetery that surrounds it. It is a church designed in 1688 by James Smith and completed in 1691 with a basilica plan. It was built with the legacy left by Thomas Moodle in 1649 as can be read on the plaque above the door. Above this plate is the coat of arms of Thomas Moodle and at the top of the pediment the coat of arms of King William II. The stark but impressively bright interior highlights the pale blue painted seating and other furniture on a red carpet. A walk through the cemetery that surrounds it takes us back to times gone by with some of the tombstones obscured by the passage of time. A visit that had to come within the interesting tour guides in Edinburgh, (Original) Hemos paseado por la parte inferior de la Royal Mile llamada Canongate, en infinidad de ocasiones y siempre nos habíamos fijado en esta curiosa construcción con notables decorados dorados en su fachada, pero siempre cerrada. Eran las navidades del 2017 cuando tuvimos suerte y pudimos acceder tanto al patio anterior, al interior de la esta iglesia y al curioso cementerio que la rodea. Se trata de una iglesia diseñada en 1688 por James Smith y terminada en 1691 con planta basilical. Fue construida con el legado dejado por Thomas Moodle en 1649 según se puede leer en la placa situada encima de la puerta. Encima de esta placa se encuentra el escudo de Thomas Moodle y en la parte superior del frontón el escudo del rey Guillermo II. El interior austero pero impresionantemente luminoso, destaca los asientos y otros muebles pintados de azul claro, sobre una alfombra roja. Un paseo por el cementerio que la rodea, nos retrotrae a tiempos pasados con algunas de las lápidas oscurecidas por el paso del tiempo. Una visita que tenía que venir dentro de la guías de visitas interesantes en Edimburgo,

G. d. b.

(Translated) One more cemetery, to visit in Edinburgh. It is a small, central, and very typical cemetery. It is located next to the Royal Mile, allowing easy access. It is quite well preserved, and has the characteristics of the cemeteries of this city. Its advantage, apart from its location, is that it is not very famous and therefore it is not full of groups of tourists or Harry Potter followers. Which allows a calm and quiet visit. (Original) Un cementerio más, a visitar en Edimburgo. Es un cementerio pequeño, céntrico, y muy típico. Se encuentra junto a la Milla Real, lo que permite un fácil acceso. Está bastante bien conservado, y tiene las características propias de los cementerios de esta ciudad. Su ventaja a parte de su localización, es que no es muy famoso y por tanto no se encuentra lleno de grupos de turistas ni de seguidores de Harry Potter. Lo cual permite una visita sosegada y tranquila.

A. D. A.

(Translated) With a very simple exterior Gothic style inside. Surrounded by a cemetery with ancient tombs. Place of tranquility where to walk (Original) Con estilo gótico exterior muy sencilla en su interior. Rodeada de un cementerio con tumbas antiguas. Lugar de tranquilidad donde pasear

M. O.

(Translated) The church could unfortunately not be visited because of the construction work. The cemetery is in very bad shape and really dirty. He seems to serve as a sleeping camp for the homeless because mattresses, tents, etc. are in the "tombs". If nothing is done here, the cemetery will probably completely decay. I think that would be a pity. (Original) Die Kirche konnte leider wegen der Bauarbeiten nicht besichtigt werden. Der Friedhof ist in sehr schlechtem Zustand und wirklich dreckig. Er scheint als Schlaflager für Obdachlose zu dienen da Matratzen, Zelte etc in den "Grabhäuschen" stehen. Wenn hier nichts getan wird, verfällt der Friedhof wahrscheinlich komplett. Das fände ich sehr schade.

M. V.

(Translated) What impressed me most was the cemetery. Great with its centuries-old gravestones and its pantheons. In the city and from there you could see the needles of the Edinburgh monuments. I do not know very well because we had just arrived if they could be those of San Giles or some other of the Royal Mile. The Protestant Churches have seemed to me very clean and cared for exempt from the imaginary or dreary baroque style of the Catholics. Also the curiosity of fruits and vegetables and other foods that some people carry for others who are most in need. (Original) Lo que más me impresionó fue el cementerio. Grandioso con sus lápidas centenarias y sus panteones. En la ciudad y desde allí se veían las agujas de los monumentos de Edimburgo. No sé muy bien porque acabábamos de llegar si podían ser las de San Giles o alguna otra de la Royal Mile. Las Iglesias protestantes me han parecido muy limpias y cuidadas exentas del barroquismo imaginario o lúgubre de las católicas. También la curiosidad de las frutas y verduras y otros alimentos que llevan unas personas para otras que están más necesitadas.

C. R.

(Translated) At first glance, it is not as impressive as Greyfriar's, but without a doubt its history makes it an essential place in your visit to the city. In my case I visit it at dusk with a guide and I recommend it 100% (Original) A simple vista no impresiona tanto como el de Greyfriar, pero sin duda su historia hace que sea un lugar imprescindible en tu visita a la ciudad. En mi caso lo visite al anochecer con una guía y lo recomiendo al 100%

s. g. k.

(Translated) Good church to walk. (Original) 산책하기 좋은 교회입니다.

곽.

(Translated) Upon entering, there is a graveyard of Adam Smith in the depths. In addition, there is a graveyard of historical figures. Living in Eastern cultures, I felt a little eerie, but I was able to take time to think about something in a quiet atmosphere while walking around the graveyards of historical figures. It is recommended to stop by and take a walk during the trip. (Original) 들어가면 깊숙한 곳에 아담스미스의 묘지가 있어요. 이외에도 역사적인 인물들의 묘지가 있습니다. 동양 문화권에 사는 나는 약간 으스스한 느낌을 받기는 했지만, 역사속 인물들의 묘지를 둘러보며 조용한 분위기에서 무언가를 생각하는 시간을 가질 수 있었습니다. 여행 중 잠깐 들러 산책하기를 추천합니다.

(Translated) It is best to visit the cemetery at night 🤗🤗🤗 (Original) Lo mejor es visitar el cementerio de noche 🤗🤗🤗

M. G.

(Translated) We were in the cemetery one night with a guide who was telling us scary stories from Edinburgh. Honestly there they hit a lot. Also there you can find graves of some famous people (Original) Estuvimos en el cementerio una de las noches con una guía que nos estuvo contando historias de miedo de Edinburgh. Sinceramente allí pegaban y mucho. Además allí puedes encontrar tumbas de algunos personajes ilustres

T. L.

(Translated) Bright church with Adam Smith's grave in the cemetery on the left (Original) Église lumineuse avec dans le cimetière à gauche la tombe d’Adam Smith

S. C.

(Translated) To visit, in this place the royalty when they visit attend religious services. The first benches are reserved for them. (Original) Da visitare, in questo luogo i reali quando sono in visita assistono alle funzioni religiose. I primi banchi sono riservati a loro.

M. Y.

(Translated) This cemetery has many notable tombs and a lot of Scottish celebrities. Check a little extra on the names, and you will find a lot of well-known names in world history. (Original) Denna begravningsplats har många sevärda gravar och en hel del skotska celebriteter. Kolla lite extra på namnen, så hittar du en massa välkända namn i världshistorien.

R. A.

(Translated) A charming place rich in Scottish history. It also deserves to be visited for its originality. (Original) Luogo suggestivo e ricco di storia scozzese. Merita di essere visitato anche per la sua originalità.

J. B.

(Translated) Impressive little church that has been visited by the Queen before. The associated cemetery also contains a few interesting graves. (Original) Eindrucksvolle kleine Kirche, die auch schon einmal von der Queen besucht wurde. Der dazugehörige Friedhof birgt auch ein paar interessante Gräber.

M. D.

(Translated) Suggestive cemetery at the gates of the old city (Original) Suggestivo cimitero alle porte della città vecchia

T. d. R. A.

(Translated) The very beautiful building. The best night visit to the cemetery on a tour. (Original) El edificio muy bonito. Lo mejor la visita nocturna al cementerio realizada en un tour.

D. C.

(Translated) Great place to visit at night. It has a very nice and curious garden-cemetery to rediscover the corpse thieves of yesteryear (Original) Sitio estupendo para visitar de noche. Tiene un jardín-cementerio muy bonito y curioso para redescubrir a los ladrones de cadáveres de antaño

M. H. S.

(Translated) Calm. Nice church. Nice people. The church the queen visits if she is in Edinburgh, so a nice fact to know. Bright and nice! (Original) Rolig. Fin kirke. Hyggelig folk. Kirken dronningen besøker dersom hun er i Edinburgh, så en fin fakt å vite. Lyst og fint!

M. R.

(Translated) Pretty church The best, the cemetery. It is visited on the ghost tour. (Original) Bonita iglesia. Lo mejor, el cementerio. Se visita en el ghost tour.

S. M.

(Translated) Cemetery of famous people (Original) Кладбище известных людей

P. G.

(Translated) Interesting church (Original) Interesante iglesia

M. H.

(Translated) I was in a beautiful concert (Original) Estuve en un concierto precioso

I. O.

(Translated) Quirky church surrounded by a beautiful cemetery (Original) Iglesia peculiar rodeada por un bonito cementerio

M. G.

(Translated) The church was closed but the cemetery has a lot of history. (Original) La iglesia estaba cerrada pero el cementerio tiene mucha historia.

J. G.

(Translated) The church is fine but the garden / cemetery is more interesting (Original) La iglesia está bien pero el jardín/cementerio es mas interesante

P. J.

(Translated) It is a church open to the environment and that protects children from the neighborhood in its garden. (Original) Es una iglesia abierta al entorno y que ampara en su jardín a hijos del barrio.