There are few places in the world quite like Edinburgh. capital city Scotland Synonymous with cold, clouds, humidity. But despite the almost constant rain, the cloudy sky also emits a light that cannot be compared to anything else. Almost ghostly. Edinburgh is dark for both its climate and its legends. It is dark because of its context and context. The mythology, which sounds like bagpipes and drums, tastes like whiskey and smells of ‘haggis’, reaches its saturation in the city where residents live together with thousands of cemeteries and where the culture of death escapes from taboos and settles as another part of life. . . ‘Yelpies’, ‘selkies’ or ‘red hats’ inspire fear and respect in equal measure in both locals and foreigners, but nowhere is as chilling as this place. contract prison. What many think is the first concentration camp in history today is a cemetery with supernatural activity To escape. So much so that entry is prohibited.
Greyfriars Churchyard is one of the most visited places in the city of seven hills. The inscriptions of many of the tombstones in the historical center have almost been erased. The erosion of the unforgiving Scottish climateWhich does not provide a ceasefire even in the summer months. Others are almost contemporary, so much so that they seem to have been installed only yesterday. In recent years it has almost become an obligatory destination for devoted followers of the ‘Harry Potter’ saga, as men and women with the same name as some of the characters in the JK Rowling-conceived story are partially buried here.
Despite their mystery, the graves of Tom Riddell or William McGonagall remain almost unnoticed by paranormal lovers who focus their attention on another part of the cemetery. In the highest area, next to the famous Black Tomb, a fence tightly locked with a large padlock on which rust is visible. It is not unusual to see groups of tourists at the gates; many listen carefully to the explanations of historians and guides, but finding someone inside is extremely exceptional. This is the Covenanters prison, a place closely linked to Scottish history.
“In 1679, approximately 1,200 Covenanters (this is the name given to people who fought to maintain Presbyterianism as a religion and thus rejected the king’s position at the head of the Church) were trapped at the battle of Bothwell Brigg, and in retaliation, they locked them in the area. “This was the only place that had the capacity to accommodate this many people.” This is explained by tourist guide Marta Sanz, creator of Your Guide to Scotland. They all died on the gallows but not before going to hell.
Despite the opinions of other colleagues, he denies that this was the first concentration camp in history (“we can find many people imprisoned in similar conditions,” he says), but this does not mean that he does not remember the camp. “Brutal conditions” in which those incarcerated lived poorly. They stayed in roofless cells, outdoors, for months, trying to survive the freezing cold that broke out in the country when winter came. “They ate and drank very little, was tortured So they confess and betray each other,” he states.
SCRATCHES FROM BEYOND
Although not many people know its origins, it is difficult to find anyone in Edinburgh who does not know this language. unexplained events occurred in this place. “Scotland and the supernatural go hand in hand,” Marta Sanz recalls. Documented according to Covenanter prison administrators 3,000 cases of visitors and curious people suffering scratches or bumps Once in this location. “The story of the mysterious death of Father Collins, the priest who tried to exorcise this compound, is also often told. The cause of death is said to be the spirit of George Mackenzie, also known as ‘Bloody Mackenzie’. “He was responsible for enforcing the King’s will and was therefore responsible for what happened to the Covenanters,” he explains.
‘Bloody Mackenzie’ is another of the special names of this cemetery. In the mausoleum where he was buried (the Black Mausoleum mentioned above), another of the terrible events took place, which, according to legends, could be the work of evil spirits. This incident is thought to have occurred between 1998 and 1999, although no one agrees on an exact date. “A homeless person took shelter there at night, with bad luck: At midnight the ground collapsed and fell downstairsHe found himself surrounded by coffins. He assured me that he was attempting to leave, Two hands grabbed him and started pulling him. No one believed him, but it is believed that Mackenzie’s spirit awoke then and now torments everyone who passes by.” Nowadays all the tourists approach its door’s lock to see something in its dark interior, but (the luckiest) only hear the echo of their voices. The bravest can enter by hiring a private tour.
‘Kelpies‘: Horse-shaped monsters, strong in strength of ten, are said to enjoy luring travelers into the water and drowning them.
‘selkies‘: They are seals with the ability to become humans. Especially on beautiful women. Their mystique is very similar to mermaids, as they try to dazzle fishermen and sailors.
‘red mugs‘: The red-capped ghosts all have pointed teeth and iron boots. They crouch down and wait for the tourists to kill them and paint their hats with their blood.
SPECIAL PERMISSION
Whether the stories are true or just hearsay, the truth is that those responsible limited access to this region. One version of this is that the authorities took this precaution because they did not want to hear about scars or wounds caused by those living in the afterlife. But as is often the case, reality has a more practical explanation. “According to Edinburgh City Council, the most likely thing is that it will be closed for a while. Preventing acts of vandalism and using this place as a consumption area medicines or for homeless people to spend the night,” says Marta Sanz, but she also expresses her doubts about this statement: “Other cemeteries in the central region have areas used for this purpose and are not closed. Moreover, it is open 24 hours.” Cemeteries are part of the unique characteristics of the city as well as the rest of the country.
In this case, obstacles can be overcome with a few coins: pay five pounds in church Located in Greyfriars, this temple is, interestingly, one of the few temples in the country that continues to celebrate services in the Gaelic language. And the paranormal is one of Edinburgh’s biggest attractions, and the city has benefited from this. Offer to rent night walks to meet Its legends and most infamous corners It is almost infinite.
“When you look at the area, you can’t believe it has such a horrific past. The Covenanters prison is always of interest, either for skeptics to question what the guide tells them, or for the curious or believers to want it. We know more about what happened here. Those who dare to share their own paranormal experiences There is even,” concludes Marta Sanz. Although, of course, no guide has ever been able to obtain first-person testimony from those who were “attacked” by immaterial forces. the majority still prefer to see the interior behind the barrier.