Old St Peter's Kirkyard Peterhead

The kirkyard is situated on a steep slope overlooking Peterhead Bay. It is dominated by the bell tower, seen here behind the remains of the chancel of the mediaeval St Peter's Church.

The chancel arch and fragments of the walls are all that remains of the early church of St Peter's which is thought to date from as early as the 13th century. It was demolished around 1806 when it was found to be suffering from subsidence and the present St Peter's Parish Church was built.

 The western bell tower was a later addition - probably dating from about 1647 and has been carefully maintained. During the 19th century it was used as a watch tower by relatives of the recently deceased who guarded their graves against 'resurrectionists'. These were frequently medical students or professional grave robbers who raided graves in order to steal fresh corpses which were used for dissection. 

Writing in  'A History of Peterhead' Findlay chillingly describes how,  'the relatives of the dead mounted guard over newly buried bodies, and many times at the dead of night has the frenzied clangour of the old bell awakened the inhabitants  of the town to tell them that the grave openers were at their horrible work again.'  

There is  a great variety of interesting graves spanning several centuries and reflecting changing attitudes to death and human significance as well as the occupations and aspirations of the inhabitants of Peterhead. Several of the stones commemorate whaling and fishing families, soldiers and farmers,

A beautifully carved gravestone dating from 1814,  a reminder of the fragility of childhood before the advent of immunisation and antibiotics.

Imposing Victorian stones reflected the status of the deceased.

 An usual disc shaped stone - unfortunately badly eroded.

Amongst the more usual fish curers, merchants and farmers is this tinsmith.

The war memorial is at the bottom of the kirkyard