December 2017 round-up.

03 Wednesday Jan 2018

Posted by Warriston Birder in Headstones and monuments, Information, Nature, Revelations, Views

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We’ve undertaken a joint project with the Council’s Trees & Woodland Officer. Up in the north-east corner there’s a bank which had a load of diseased ash trees (plus too many sycamores and the usual ivy, brambles, nettles, and some convolvulus). Nearby residents had expressed concern. We’ve removed a lot of the undesirable growth – more to go still! Some elm saplings, plus a birch and a hazel have been left in place, plus this mass of mature ivy up a tree trunk.We received 120 shrubs and hedge plants from The Woodland Trust and we’ve been planting them beside the fence. About 80 in, so about 40 to go yet. The second photograph shows some of the clear tubes protecting the new plants. The residents are now receiving more light and warmth into the south-facing rooms and into their drying green. They’re happy! (See the two photos below.)

Something a bit different. Edinburgh skyline from the south perimeter of the cemetery. (See the three photos below)

“Winter fun in Edinburgh”

21 Tuesday Nov 2017

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TCV (The Conservation Volunteers) visited the site at the end of 2016 and helped us to plant spring bulbs and build a dead hedge in the Secret Garden. Here is a link to their blog. Their Warriston cemetery visit is recorded about half-way down the page…

Winter fun in Edinburgh

Points of interest map.

13 Monday Nov 2017

Posted by friendsofwarristoncemetery in Information

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This map indicates just some of the many points of interest within Warriston Cemetery. Click on the map to view it full-size. Opens in a new tab/page. If printing, it’s best to set it to A4 size, landscape format, no margins, no headers/footers.

Remembrance Sunday, 2017.

12 Sunday Nov 2017

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Thank you to the Rev. Joanne Foster for leading the Service, to Dr Mark Taylor for playing a moving lament afterwards, to Councillor and Mrs Whyte for laying a wreath on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council, to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for their continuing care of the monument and to our members for attending this morning. It was a beautiful morning, but very cold.

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Previously… Scotland’s History Festival 2017.

21 Monday Aug 2017

Posted by Warriston Birder in Calendar, Information

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We are taking part in this year’s History Festival by providing a Guided Tour of Warriston cemetery.

Event details;

Date: Thursday 23 November 2017.
Time: 1.30pm.
Duration: 1.5 hours.
Cost: £5 (free to children under 12 years).
Extra info: Waterproofs and “sensible footwear” required.
Event venue: Warriston cemetery.
Venue address: Main Gate, 42 Warriston Gardens, Edinburgh EH3 5NE.
Ticket purchase: Pay at gate. Booking essential.

Contact email: friendsofwarristoncemetery@gmail.com
Website: www.friendsofwarristoncemetery.com

Here’s what you can expect on the day…

A guided tour of Edinburgh’s first designed garden cemetery, opened in 1843, formerly neglected in parts but now being cleared of excess weeds by the Friends of Warriston Cemetery. Many of Edinburgh’s Victorian society members lie within, some with distinctive monuments and all with stories to be told. There are architects, artists, astronomers, botanists, doctors, entertainers, historians, horticulturists, ministers, military personnel, photographers, scientists, sculptors, teachers – all manner of occupations. And there’s wildlife too, in this Local Biodiversity Site.

History Festival website: www.historyfest.co.uk/

Friends of Warriston Cemetery 4th Birthday. July 4th 2017.

31 Monday Jul 2017

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Next workable session was on the 8th of July…

“We became four years old on Tuesday! But we were rained off. Again. So, we had to wait until today to have our birthday cake, with the requisite number of candles. Of course. And if our overseas viewers don’t understand this, watch this! The Two Ronnies Make sure you have the sound on. Everyone else knows it’s worth seeing again….”

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Back where it belongs.

11 Thursday May 2017

Posted by Warriston Birder in Information, Mason work, Revelations

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This mysterious number appeared! And one of our piles of debris there vanished. What was this about? Well, there are half a dozen piles of gravestones which have been removed from their original positions. No-one is sure why, happened a long time ago. We’ve been keeping some of the piles clear of foliage so that at least some stones may be read. We were told that a family member came by, on a walk, spotted one of their own family stones. One from the Council’s list of approved masons was instructed to come by, take the stone away to clean it, create a new cement foundation – ensuring it was level! – and re-erect the gravestone in its rightful place. And here it is. Happy ending! Well done, that family member.

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Revealed.

31 Friday Mar 2017

Posted by Warriston Birder in Information, Revelations

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The following photographs show clearance work over several sessions. Most of the clearing involves clipping ivy and removing dirt. It sounds easy but as the ivy has been left to its own devices for many years much of it has become thick and tough plus it has ‘woven’ itself into matting over and around the stones. It can be painstaking work but we say it’s worth it when we reveal stones hidden from view for far too long.

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21/02/2017

22 Wednesday Feb 2017

Posted by Warriston Birder in Information, Views and Nature

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Some photos taken around the site on a work party day. Click a photo to view a larger version. This opens in a new window.

Come and join us or just pop along for a chat. Work party days are Tuesdays and Saturdays from 10am, meeting at the main entrance (at the far end of Warriston Gardens from Inverleith Row) by our green shed or at the other end of the brick drive, through the cemetery gates. If you arrive later come look for us – we’re easy to find. If you can’t come along for whatever reason you can support the group via annual membership (life membership is also available). For more details, please send a message to the following email address; friendsofwarristoncemetery@gmail.com. Thanks.

A couple of volunteers have been tending to the area around Sir James Young Simpson. And here are some of the tete-a-tete daffodils they planted, looking lovely in a little sunshine this morning…

More snowdrops!…

Sunnier versions of the view posted a few days ago…

More tete-a-tete daffodils, which we’d planted beside the hedge between the north path and the extension…

Some berries and some viburnum flowers. Separately!..

20/02/2017

20 Monday Feb 2017

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You’d be forgiven for thinking that the first two photos show a partly-buried headstone. They in fact show the deep imprint of a stone that, until very recently, had lain face-down in the earth for who knows how long. I have reversed the photos so that the inscription can be read more easily. The third photograph is of the actual stone, now propped against its pedestal.

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