Witches, Old Nick and bodysnatchers.

This is the entrance to the ancient graveyard at Old Logie Kirk, just along the road from Stirling. A beautiful site on the banks of the Logie Burn beneath the hill of Dumyat. The ruined kirk dates from around 1684 although, a church at Logie is first mentioned in a charter by the Bishop of Dunblane from 1178. Until recently overgrown and wild, this atmospheric place has long been associated with legends of witches. Carlie Crag looms over the churchyard and around 1720, witches were believed to rendezvous with the evil one who would appear in the form of a large, black dog.

In the graveyard there are almost a hundred beautiful gravestones, some dating back to Viking times. The small building by the entrance gate was probably originally an offertory house, but in the 19th century it was used a s a watchhouse to prevent graverobbers stealing bodies for sale to the local anatomists.

The graveyard is coming to the end of an expensive programme of renovation and restoration and is now looking really splendid. Sadly, though, the site is now locked and only open in the Summer months, for a few hours on Sunday afternoons.