Council seeks money for study to protect and open up city’s oldest burial grounds
Highland Council is working with the Inverness City Heritage Trust on plans to conserve three of the city centre’s oldest graveyards and to make them more accessible as green spaces for residents and visitors. The proposals, seen by council members, would begin with a feasibility study for the sites and could lead to repair work and interpretation to explain the burial grounds’ history.
The three historic sites are Greyfriars (also known as Blackfriars), the Old High burial ground beside the city’s oldest church, and Chapel Yard Cemetery, where gravestones survive from the 1600s. Councillors are being asked to approve a contribution of £20,000 towards the cost of the study at an upcoming meeting.
| Site | Notable facts |
|---|---|
| Greyfriars (Blackfriars) | Connections to a 13th century Catholic order; largely hidden by a 1960s telephone exchange; closed to public access because of vandalism; local ghost-tour stop |
| Old High burial ground | Next to the city’s oldest church |
| Chapel Yard Cemetery | Gravestones surviving from the 1600s; resting place of ministers, provosts and members of Highland clans |
Council officers say the study will assess how to conserve both the architectural and archaeological elements of the sites while exploring ways to develop the burial grounds as public green spaces that respect their sensitive nature.
"The study will seek to identify regeneration opportunities and develop a longer-term vision for the use of these spaces whilst recognising their sensitive nature and significant historic and cultural heritage."
Possible outcomes identified in the council report include repair of gravestones and other features, and the installation of interpretation boards to provide historical information for visitors. Officers add the study could also look at how the visitor experience at each site might be enhanced.
Separate request for Tomnahurich repairs
Alongside the feasibility study request, councillors are being asked to approve up to £50,000 towards the cost of repairing railings at Tomnahurich Cemetery. The Victorian-era burial ground contains 169 Commonwealth War Graves of service personnel killed during the two world wars, making its upkeep a matter of local and national significance.
- Feasibility study funding sought: £20,000
- Tomnahurich railings request: £50,000
- Potential improvements: gravestone repairs, interpretation boards, enhanced visitor facilities
The proposals intersect with wider discussions about how historic spaces in Inverness are managed amid pressures on public budgets and growing visitor numbers. Greyfriars in particular is described in the council material as "almost hidden from view by a large 1960s telephone exchange" and is currently closed to the public because of vandalism; it is also noted as a popular stop for local ghost and history tours because of reports of a figure dressed in black.
If approved, the feasibility work would form the first stage of a longer-term approach to balancing conservation with public access. Any physical interventions to graves, monuments or railings would be expected to follow further specialist assessment given the sites’ historic and archaeological sensitivities.
Council papers make clear that the aim is not simply cosmetic change but a considered regeneration that respects the cultural heritage of the burial grounds while creating safer, more informative public spaces. Final decisions on funding and work programmes will be taken by councillors at the forthcoming meeting.
