Greyfriars Cemetery
There’s two things of note in Greyfriars. One is Bobby and the other Mortsafes.
“Let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all.” Reads the tobstone of little Bobby, a scruffy yet lovable looking dog looks out over Edinburgh atop a granite fountain built in his honor. This little skye terrier known as Greyfriars Bobby was said to have stood vigil at his owner’s grave for 14 years after his death. His dedication and loyalty became legendary, and when he finally died in January 1872, he was laid to rest in Greyfriars Kirkyard, not far from his owner’s grave. It’s a heartwarming story which has inspired numerous books, films, and even an episode of Futurama. Sadly in recent years, it was also made known that it is indeed just a story. There was a Bobby but he was just a stray but clever dog that realized he got lots of tastes by hanging around the cemetery.
Now, the other is the Mortsafe. I’m sure you’re asking yourself “what the heck is that?” Well dear one a mortgage was one of may things that people would use after death to keep their bodies out of the hands of bodysnatchers. It sounds like something out of a fictional book or horror movie, but these things did happen in the Victorian era. Medical students needed bodies to work on and there wasn’t always enough to go around so body snatching became a real problem.
The history of Edinburgh and the history of body snatching go hand in hand. As evidence, residents of the capital city once were so concerned about ending up on the anatomist’s table rather than lying in eternal rest that they invested in elaborate cage-like tombs to prevent such a thing.
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