2004

NO7095 : Graveyard watch tower. Banchory

taken 20 years ago, near to Banchory, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Graveyard watch tower. Banchory.
Graveyard watch tower. Banchory.
In the early 1800s human bodies were in demand for dissection by anatomy schools. Body snatchers, or resurrection men as they were called, supplied the demand by stealing newly buried corpses. In order to prevent this, communities built watch towers in the graveyards where men could keep watch over new burials until they were too corrupt to be of interest to the anatomists. This 2 storey tower is in St Ternan's graveyard in Banchory, within easy reach of the anatomy schools in Aberdeen. It has a fireplace and chimney to keep the watchers comfortable, a bell for attracting attention and a round gun loop through which a firearm might be discharged to repel intruders.

Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Martyn Gorman and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Category: Graveyard
This photo is linked from: Automatic Clusters: · Watch Tower [5] · Graveyard [4] ·
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
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NO7095, 170 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Martyn Gorman   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Wednesday, 17 March, 2004   (more nearby)
Submitted
Monday, 29 May, 2006
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NO 7069 9575 [10m precision]
WGS84: 57:3.1126N 2:29.0866W
View Direction
WEST (about 270 degrees)
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Image classification(about): Geograph (Fourth Visitor for NO7095)
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