Friends of Warriston Cemetery

Ladybird on a green plant

Five things to avoid if you want to help nature:
🐞 Plastic grass
🐞 Peat
🐞 Pesticides
🐞 Weedkiller
🐞 Being too tidy
More: littlegreenspace.org.uk/features/wha...
#biodiversity #wildlifegarden

How fabulous! Sadly we don't have any prawns on any of our stones, and we're a lot younger than Nether St Cyrus. Hopefully someone in our network might know? #taphofile

Gravestone with prawns carved on

The beautiful Nether St Cyrus Cemetery. Some of the gravestones featured prawns. Fishermen’s graves? Anyone familiar with this iconography? @fowarristoncem.bsky.social #cemetery #headstone #graveyard

@caltonhill.bsky.social might be interested in this too!

A historic illustration of Warriston: "Edinburgh From Warriston Cemetery, 1843. (After a Drawing by Daniel Wilson)" from Cassell's Old & New Edinburgh: Its History, its People, and its Places, pub. 1883. Also visible are Calton Hill, Edinburgh Castle & Broughton St. Mary's Church. #Edinburgh

Hamlet the Golden Eagle being released into the wild after recovering from being shot

We’re relieved to hear that Hamlet, a 4-year-old Golden Eagle, has recovered from his injuries and been released back into the wild after being shot in the Borders.

It comes after the suspicious disappearance of two other Golden Eagles, Tarras and Wren, in the south of Scotland in August.

🧵

The chapel was designed by architects David Cousin & J. Dick Peddie for the Episcopalian community & the reason for its removal is unknown. However its destruction dovetails with the creation of Warriston Crematorium which had its own chapel, and so perhaps for commercial reasons it was removed.3/3

If you look carefully, atop the neo-Tudor catacombs & set back from the fence is a raised grassy area, curiously devoid of stones. Instead there are two modern benches on its perimeter, facing towards the catacombs & into the trees. This blank space is the footprint of the former mortuary chapel. 2/

Did you know that Warriston Cemetery once had its own chapel? Built in 1842-3 & demolished by 1930, all that remains are scant black & white photographs, Victorian engravings & the original Edinburgh Cemetery Company plans that are held within the Peddie archive, now part of HES. 1/

Happy National Hedgehog Day! For all the best hedgehog facts, visit the British Hedgehog Preservation Society at Hedgehog House! www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/faq/

According to one of our prolific birders, Warriston Cemetery's species numbers on ebird are currently at 79, which includes a very vocal tawny owl. #birding #birds #birdwatching #Edinburgh #tawnyowl

We are absolutely delighted that Warriston Cemetery has been designated a hotspot on EBird, & we welcome all of our new birding visitors! ebird.org/hotspot/L457... #birding #birds #birdwatching #Edinburgh

Warriston Cemetery will be closed tonight (Monday 26th) and all day Tuesday 27th January due to high winds. It will be inspected by the council on Wednesday, and providing there are no safety concerns, it will be re-opened at that time. #WarristonCemetery #Edinburgh

Close-up image of a cluster of overwintering ladybirds sheltering in the crevice of a weathered Victorian grave monument.

Good day all.
🐞 🐞 🐞

I have ticked off the birds I usually get in my garden. Hopefully I will see them for my @rspb.bsky.social ‘s Big Garden Birdwatch . Come join in on 23rd-25th January 2026. www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen... #BigGardenBirdwatch

A red-breasted robin splashing around in shallow water. Pic by George Kelsey.

A red-breasted robin standing in shallow water. Pic by George Kelsey.

It's important to always look your best when you are a festive icon.🎄

😆 This wee robin is scrubbing up well in the Water of Leith.💦

Hope you are getting your glad rags on this weekend too!😊

📸 Another great shot by George Kelsey whose pics we are very grateful to share.👏

Corporate Roundup 2025

Thanks again to all the organisations that came out with us and to keep the river healthy

Following the weekend's high winds, the cemetery was reopened this morning (Monday 15th December).

Please note: the cemetery has been closed again due to high winds (Saturday 13th Dec). We will update you when it has been reopened. Thanks.

Sleigh hearse trimmed with high plumes makes it way through a snowy street while a small group of people watch.

#TheVictorianBookoftheDead A sleigh hearse trimmed with tall plumes makes its way through a snowy street, c. 1900
collections.mnbaq.org/fr/oeuvre/60... #GothicYuletide

The cemetery has been reopened today, following the council's inspection. Thanks.

Please note - the cemetery is closed again due to high winds and potential storm damage. We are expecting the council to reopen it on Thursday 11th following an inspection. Thanks.

Unlocking the Plants of the Past – Big Give Decades of botanical observations of our vital wild plants are trapped in paper records and archives - through the efforts …

Help us unlock the Plants of the Past, by supporting volunteers to digitise decades of paper records & inform C21st science!
@biggive.bsky.social
From #GivingTuesday to 9 Dec, we have £10K in matched funds to unlock: every donation, however small, will be doubled:
donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...

In the spring this area will also be planted with specially selected seeds to create a dedicated butterfly food buffet. Our plan is to continue to keep Warriston a butterfly haven & to expand on this by growing specific flowers & plants that are proven to be beneficial. #Pollinators #Butterflies 2/2

Spring bulb planting! The council have given us a few thousand bulbs to plant in the final window of opportunity before winter hits. Today we planted hundreds of them along the front of the catacombs, ahead of the planned re-seeding to be done by the council. #Warriston #Edinburgh #SpringBulbs 1/2

A Robin stands on a branch with its tail flicked high, feathers fanned out like it’s doing an exaggerated warm-up stretch before a big day. Its red orange chest is puffed proudly and its tiny feet are braced as if limbering up to be a festive icon.

Robins warming up for their festive shift...

It's 1st December!

#MondayMotivation

📷 Vicky Outen

The aids memorial quilt seen from a distance, hundreds of small colourful rectangles.

On #WorldAidsDay, we remember those who died from that disease - and understand the importance of their memorials.

Warriston Cemetery has reopened, following the strong winds and subsequent inspection by the council.

WARRISTON CEMETERY IS CURRENT CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WINDS.

We will update you after the council have completed an inspection and it is reopened. Thanks.

‘Demonic’ Wind in the Willows jumper banned from Westminster Abbey Woman told to remove or cover up garment featuring 1908 illustration of Pan lest it offend worshippers

Perhaps a representative from the Church of England might like to accompany me on a tour of mediaeval ecclesiastical buildings in their ownership so that I can point out the thousands of images of actual demons which they seem to have forgotten...

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...