Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom Scotland Edinburgh St. John's Churchyard Branch Sculpture
AO Edited

St. John's Churchyard Branch Sculpture

The artwork mysteriously appeared within an Edinburgh cemetery.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Added By
linkogecko
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
St Cuthbert’s Kirkyard Branch Sculpture.   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
The sculpture as seen from inside the kirkyard.   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
Back view.   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
  mdm335 / Atlas Obscura User
View from walk next to church   mdm335 / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Perspective of sculpture from behind the wall   honeytea / Atlas Obscura User
  rbenn250 / Atlas Obscura User
  linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
Detail of the sculpture.   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
Melvin Wells” headstone   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

At some point in mid-2019, an approximately 6.5-foot-tall (two-meter-tall) sculpture made of wooden branches appeared in a terrace of St. John's Churchyard, a cemetery located in Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens.

A lack of any plaque with information about the artist responsible for making the sculpture or of any organization responsible for its placing, as well as a lack of any online sources on its origin, bring to mind similar cases of anonymous sculptural donations.

The Edinburgh Book Sculptures phenomenon started in this city in 2011. Six years later, the first Wooden Animals popped up without any dedication.

The figurative sculpture at St. John's Churchyard seems to represent a childlike figure being held aloft by a larger one. Echoes of Edvard Munch's "The Scream," along with its placement in a cemetery, make it possible that it might be meant to represent grief.

Perhaps it is a tribute to a mother or baby, or both, dead and buried in this cemetery a long time ago. Theories seem to be all there is to go on for the time being, although this sculpture is already contributing to what might become a particularly Edinburgh occurrence.

Related Tags

Mystery Art Outsider Art Sculptures Graveyards Cemeteries

Know Before You Go

The sculpture can be found on the second terrace of the cemetery coming down from Princes Street. Entrance to St Cuthbert's Kirkyard follows the usual opening hours for Princes Street Gardens, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Scotland: Beyond the Haggis

Smoked seafood, single malt whisky, and warm hospitality.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

linkogecko

Edited By

SEANETTA, rbenn250, honeytea, mdm335

  • SEANETTA
  • rbenn250
  • honeytea
  • mdm335

Published

September 26, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
St. John's Churchyard Branch Sculpture
Princes St
Edinburgh, Scotland, EH1 2EU
United Kingdom
55.950009, -3.206764
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Binns Clock

Edinburgh, Scotland

miles away

Tiffany Glass Window at The Parish Church of St Cuthbert

Edinburgh, Scotland

miles away

‘A Canine Connection’

Edinburgh, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Scotland

Places 184
Stories 7

Nearby Places

Binns Clock

Edinburgh, Scotland

miles away

Tiffany Glass Window at The Parish Church of St Cuthbert

Edinburgh, Scotland

miles away

‘A Canine Connection’

Edinburgh, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Scotland

Places 184
Stories 7

Related Places

  • School Bus Graveyard.

    Alto, Georgia

    The School Bus Graveyard

    Where school buses go to die and be reborn as whimsical works of art.

  • The view from the obelisk

    Brooklyn, New York

    Tomb of Secrets at Green-Wood Cemetery

    A way to take your secrets to someone else's grave.

  • The bust bears a striking resemblance to Madame Danton, perhaps because it was molded off her actual face.

    Vizille, France

    The Death Mask of Gabrielle Danton

    The people's champion of the French Revolution was so overcome by grief at his wife's death that he exhumed her in the dead of night to make one final replica of her face.

  • Gene Frankel Theater

    New York, New York

    'Dreams of Hyperion'

    A unique collection of figures perform down the facade of the Gene Frankel Theatre.

  • The Glowquarium

    Grapevine, Texas

    The Real Unreal

    Fall through a crack in the seams of reality at this immersive art installation.

  • Covington, Kentucky

    Clive

    He’s not from around here.

  • 'Street Whale'

    San Francisco, California

    'Street Whale'

    Part mural and part sculpture, this work of art sits in the middle of the Promenade, as if swimming in a river of asphalt towards the ocean.

  • Spirit Dog Sculptures

    Attadale, Australia

    Spirit Dog Sculptures

    This public work of art outside of Perth depicts a dog walker and several mischievous canine companions.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.