In the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland, lies Greyfriars Kirkyard, one of the city’s oldest and most infamous cemeteries. Established in the 16th century, this burial ground is steeped in history, its paths lined with headstones dating back centuries. But beneath its surface, Greyfriars holds a far darker secret—a mass burial pit where thousands of tortured souls rest uneasily. The eerie atmosphere of this cemetery has made it a focal point for ghostly legends and paranormal investigations. However, it was one night in November 1999 that Greyfriars’ sinister reputation was forever cemented.
The Midnight Visit of Colin Grant
Late one night in November 1999, 66-year-old minister and self-proclaimed psychic, Colin Grant, was called upon to perform an exorcism at Greyfriars Kirkyard. The city of Edinburgh, desperate to put an end to the increasing reports of paranormal activity, had pleaded with him to confront the malevolent spirit believed to be responsible. Despite his fear and trepidation, Colin knew he had a duty to protect the people of the city, and so he agreed to take on this daunting task.
Accompanied by a journalist and a photographer from a local newspaper, Colin entered the cemetery under the cover of darkness. The group made their way through the eerie, cobblestone paths of the graveyard, passing by ancient headstones as they approached the heart of the cemetery—the imposing, gothic church and the Black Mausoleum, home to the remains of one of Scotland’s most notorious figures, George Mackenzie.
The Legend of George Mackenzie
George Mackenzie, a Scottish Lord in the late 1600s, was infamous for his ruthless persecution of the Covenanters—a group of Presbyterian rebels who opposed the religious laws enforced by the King of England. After crushing their rebellion, Mackenzie captured over a thousand Covenanters and imprisoned them in a large field that would later become Greyfriars Kirkyard. For weeks, he subjected them to starvation, torture, and execution, creating a gruesome display of decapitated heads on spikes around the field’s perimeter. The bodies of the dead were eventually thrown into a mass grave, which was later covered over as the cemetery was established.
When Mackenzie died, he was buried in a grand mausoleum within the very same cemetery, only a few feet away from the mass grave of his victims. For nearly 300 years, Greyfriars Kirkyard was a quiet, unremarkable cemetery. However, in 1998, a homeless man broke into the Black Mausoleum and fell through the floor into the burial pit below. This event seemingly unleashed something terrifying, as visitors soon began reporting strange and violent occurrences near the mausoleum.
The Failed Exorcism
As Colin approached the Black Mausoleum on that fateful night, he was overwhelmed by an intense feeling of dread. The closer he got, the more palpable the evil presence seemed to become. Despite his fears, Colin pressed on, determined to confront whatever malevolent force lay within. But just as he was about to enter the mausoleum, he stopped, unable to take another step forward. Instead, he chose a different path—a decision that would haunt him.
Colin retreated to a nearby field within the cemetery, a place he believed to be the final resting place of the tortured Covenanters. There, he began to chant prayers, sprinkle holy water, and perform rituals in an attempt to free the spirits of those who had suffered under Mackenzie’s cruelty. For hours, Colin worked tirelessly, but when he finally stopped, he was exhausted, pale, and defeated. He admitted to the journalist and photographer that he had failed. He had not been able to free all the spirits, nor had he banished the evil presence from the Black Mausoleum.
The Ominous Photograph
Despite Colin’s failed exorcism, the night’s events were not over. As they prepared to leave, Colin suddenly declared that he would make one last attempt to banish the spirits. He began chanting once more, this time standing in front of the church near the Black Mausoleum, surrounded by lit candles. As Colin’s chants grew louder, the atmosphere became charged with an unexplainable energy. Sensing something ominous, the photographer, Susan Burl, raised her camera and snapped a photo.
What the photograph revealed would send shivers down anyone’s spine. Behind Colin, in one of the church’s windows, a dark figure could be seen staring out at him—a figure that shouldn’t have been there, as the church was supposed to be empty. Shortly after the photo was taken, Colin collapsed, muttering that this exorcism would kill him. He was right. Not long after that night, Colin Grant died unexpectedly, his death shocking those who knew him.
The Lasting Haunt of Greyfriars Kirkyard
To this day, Greyfriars Kirkyard remains one of the most haunted places in the world. Visitors continue to report unexplained injuries, including scratches, burns, and even strangulation, particularly near the Black Mausoleum. Many believe that the spirit of George Mackenzie, known as the Mackenzie Poltergeist, still haunts the cemetery, making it one of the most dangerous places for paranormal activity.
Whether or not you believe in ghosts, the story of Colin Grant and Greyfriars Kirkyard serves as a chilling reminder of the darkness that can linger in places touched by cruelty and suffering. As the years pass, the cemetery’s haunted reputation only seems to grow, drawing those who seek a brush with the supernatural, and those who wish to pay their respects to the tormented souls who may never find peace.