Name: Guided tour of ancient Dundee Howff Cemetery. Meet in Meadowside entry.
Start: 2024-11-30T11:00:00+00:00
End: 2024-11-30T12:20:00+00:00
Location: The Howff

Guided tour of ancient Dundee Howff Cemetery. Meet in Meadowside entry.

A friendly, guided walk through hundreds of years of Dundee History. The stories are often sad, sometimes funny, but always interesting.
About this Event

"The Howff " is an old Scots name for a meeting place-you will find out why on the tour! Since being gifted to the people of Dundee by Mary Queen of Scots, The Howff has been the burial place of both the rich and poor of the city. 300 years of tumultuous history is written on the stones. We pause at a couple of locations to consider Dundee`s links to the Slavery Trade and Scottish Witch Trials. There is a lot to cover in 80 minutes!

This section of a16 th Century plan of Dundee, shows the current Howff Graveyard as "The Friars Cordeliers Yard. "The Friars were known at times as "Cordeliers " due to the ropes that they wore as belts.

For around 200 years, the Town House was the centre of power within the city. The J*il was located on the second floor , above the Council Chambers. It was fairly grim, but escapes did happen. Many of the characters who worked there, including a jailor, are buried in The Howff. You will hear their stories.

Some of you may be noting that Dundee Waterfront Walks has moved away from the river a little. Well, the tide used to come in a lot closer to the Howff than it does now! In addition, were it not for the merchants of Dundee making their way out of the city and over to the Continent from the12 th Century onwards , Dundee would not have flourished. We will see and discuss the graves of Dundonians who left to trade and make their fortunes , or simply to make a living ,working onboard the vessels. We learn of shipwrecks close to home, as well as disasters in far off Arctic waters , whilst hunting Whales.

The Grave of a Dundee Merchant. The number 4 is significant. ! The importance of The Nine Trades in Dundee will become very clear during the tour. Many of the members have left us fascinating grave stones to ponder.

From time to time through the 19 th Century, Cholera ravaged Dundee .Here is the building established by the city as an Isolation /Cholera hospital. However terrible the disease was, it provides us with some interesting history to discuss.

Though not a Ghost Walk , there are a few rather strange tales associated with The Howff. These include Resurrection Men (grave robbers) a Green Man and your Guide being padlocked inside the Graveyard one evening!

The tour is over uneven surfaces and different terrains .It is around 3/4 of a mile (1208 metres) in distance and lasts for around an hour and twenty minutes.

Tours will go ahead irrespective of the weather. Please do take care to dress accordingly . You must have on stout waterproof footwear for your own comfort and safety .We will be walking on fairly good cobbled paths much of the time ,but will be on grass or earth at gravesides, at other times. We are situated at the Tay estuary , leading to the North Sea and the weather is changeable. Dundee is , however, the sunniest city in Scotland . It will be fun!

Please note that your tour ticket price does not entitle you to entry to any of the attractions which we will view or discuss. We would however be glad to recommend that you do try to visit or investigate them for yourselves. Tour tickets are for sale online only . Sorry no refunds after ticket purchase.

Whilst all guests are welcome, this tour may not suit those who would find the terrain, footpaths and diversions to gravesides problematic. Guests are asked to check in advance whether or not they would in fact wish to undertake the tour under these circumstances. We wish to avoid any disappointment.

THOSE ATTENDING ARE REQUESTED TO SOCIALLY DISTANCE 1 METRE FROM THE TOUR GUIDE, TOUR GUESTS AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE OUTWITH THEIR OWN FAMILY GROUP. CURRENTLY GUESTS DO NOT REQUIRE TO WEAR A FACE MASK, THOUGH THEY MAY WISH TO. ALL TOURS WILL COMPLY WITH THE HEALTH REQUIREMENTS OF THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT, WHICH MAY CHANGE AT SHORT NOTICE.

John Wedderburn, a noted local slaveowner, is buried within the Howff. The outcome of his defence of a legal action raised against him by Joseph Knight, whom he regarded as his slave property, was to have profound significance in Scotland and beyond. We will discuss aspects of this as we walk together.

At a significant spot, we will spend some time discussing the terrible persecution of both women and men accused of witchcraft in the Dundee area and throughout Scotland.