Churchyard, Kirkliston Parish Church, The Square, Kirkliston

Churchyard at Kirkliston Parish Church is a historic burial ground in Kirkliston, a former village on the western edge of Edinburgh, Scotland. It surrounds the parish church on The Square and is one of those places where local history can be read stone by stone.

What is this place?

A church has stood here since at least the 12th century, and Canmore dates much of the surviving fabric to around 1200. Local history sources suggest the mound the church sits on may partly be an older burial mound onto which the church was later built. The churchyard, together with its walls and gatepiers, is protected as a Category A listed site, dated 22 February 1971.

What to see

• The Romanesque south doorway of the church, regarded as one of the finest late Transitional works in Scotland and in a fair state of preservation.
• The Stair Aisle, added in the early 17th century, where the lairds of Newliston and their families are buried.
• Headstones from the 17th century onwards. Records of the earliest burials are sparse, so the memorials themselves are the most reliable guide to the people who lived here.
• The old watchhouse. In the early 19th century one was built in the graveyard to deter body-snatchers.
• The 1684 bell, still in use in the church beside the graveyard.

How the church changed

The building was reworked several times, in 1687, 1822 and 1883, with the 1883 work overseen by Robert Rowand Anderson. The tower was reduced in height in the 17th century. Sources differ slightly on the details of the 1822 work and the blocking of the south doorway, which is common for a building altered over so many centuries.

The churchyard today

As the population grew in the 19th century, the original churchyard filled up and a large cemetery extension was added to the south and west. It includes Commonwealth War Graves from both World Wars. The cemetery remains in use, so visitors should keep quiet and be respectful of people tending family graves.

Frequently asked questions

Where is it? In the centre of Kirkliston, on The Square, within the City of Edinburgh area.

Is it still used for burials? Yes. Canmore lists the churchyard and cemetery as in current use.

Is it a protected site? Yes. The churchyard, walls and gatepiers fall under a Category A listing.

How do I get there from central Edinburgh? Kirkliston lies west of the city centre within Edinburgh's boundaries. Travel by bus or car is simplest; check current timetables before you go.

Can I take photos? Generally yes, but this is a resting place and burials still take place, so avoid photographing mourners.

Who is it best for? Lovers of history, medieval architecture and genealogy, and anyone who enjoys a quiet walk among old gravestones, looking for early inscriptions and carved symbols.

An hour is enough for an unhurried loop of the grounds, comparing the oldest headstones with the newer sections to see how ways of remembering the dead have changed over the centuries. Church and churchyard together form one of the oldest sites in the area, and the closeness of Edinburgh makes it easy to combine a visit with a longer day out.