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In 1836 five boys hunting for rabbits found a set of 17 miniature coffins containing small wooden figures in a cave on the crags of Arthur's Seat. The purpose has remained a mystery ever since the discovery. A strong contemporary belief was that they were made for witchcraft, though more recently it
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in 1828. There were 16 known victims of the serial-killers plus the first person sold "to the doctors", namely a man who had died of natural causes. However, the murder victims were primarily female, while the eight surviving figures are male. Alternatively, the coffins may have represented the 16
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encountered a stag while out hunting. Having fallen from his horse and about to be gored, he had a vision of a cross appearing between the animal's antlers, before it inexplicably turned away, leaving him unharmed. David, believing his life had been spared through divine intervention, founded
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rocks must have occurred at different ages and in different ways than the thinking of that time said they did. It is possible to see a particular area known as Hutton's
Section in the Salisbury Crags where the magma forced its way through the sedimentary rocks above it to form the
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bodies sold to the doctors, plus that of the final victim who remained unburied at the time of the duo's arrest, but was, as a destitute beggar, very likely dissected in any case. The surviving coffins are now displayed in
Edinburgh's National Museum of Scotland.
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to the west and leaving a tail of material swept to the east. This is how the
Salisbury Crags formed and became basalt cliffs between Arthur's Seat and the city centre. From some angles, Arthur's Seat resembles a lion
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A track rising along the top of the slope immediately under
Salisbury Crags has long been a popular walk, giving a view over the city. It became known as the Radical Road after it was paved in the aftermath of the
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377:. The hill rises above the city to a height of 250.5 m (822 ft), provides excellent panoramic views of the city and beyond, is relatively easy to climb, and is popular for
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venue with routes of various degrees of difficulty. Rock climbing was restricted to the South Quarry, but access was banned altogether in 2019 by
Historic Environment Scotland.
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S P Menefee, A D C Simpson, The West Port
Murders and the Miniature Coffins From Arthur's Seat in The Book of the Old Edinburgh Club, New Series vol.3, Edinburgh 1994, pp.63–81
411:. Some support for this may be provided by several other hilltop and mountaintop features in Britain which bear the same or similar names, such as the peak of Ben Arthur (
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as "a hill for magnitude, a mountain in virtue of its bold design". It is situated just to the east of the city centre, about 1 mile (1.6 km) to the east of
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visited
Edinburgh where he climbed Arthur's Seat, local tradition stating that before doing so he estimated it would take much of the day to reach the top.
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Arthur's Seat and the
Salisbury Crags adjoining it helped form the ideas of modern geology as it is currently understood. It was in these areas that
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Tradition has it that it was at the foot of Arthur's Seat, covered by the forest of
Drumselch, that Scotland's 12th-century king
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The prominence of Arthur's Seat over
Edinburgh has attracted various groups and has a particular significance to the history of
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443:) which is designated to protect its important geology (see below), grassland habitats and uncommon plant and animal species.
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381:. Though it can be climbed from almost any direction, the easiest ascent is from the east, where a grassy slope rises above
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The slopes of the hill facing Holyrood are where young girls in Edinburgh traditionally bathe their faces in the dew on
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hill-fort and a series of cultivation terraces are obvious above the road just beyond and best viewed from Duddingston.
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839:"An improved chronology for the Arthur's Seat volcano and Carboniferous magmatism of the Midland Valley of Scotland"
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as a form of work relief. This route has been closed since 2018 after 50 tons of rock fell from the cliffs above.
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553:, in the latter cases certainly of prehistoric date. These forts are likely to have been centres of power of the
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593:, a bonfire was lit that night on the Salisbury Crags fuelled with ten loads of coal and six barrels of tar.
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415:) in the western highlands, sometimes known as Arthur's Seat, and Arthur's Chair on the ridge called
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of 1820, using the labour of unemployed weavers from the west of Scotland at the suggestion of
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Like the rock on which Edinburgh Castle is built, it was formed by a volcanic system of early
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1031:"Beloved Edinburgh footpath could be permanently closed despite outcry from outdoor groups"
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to make themselves more beautiful. The poem "Caller Water" (fresh cool water), written by
629:, arrived in Scotland in early 1850 and climbed the hill to pray to God for more converts.
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age (lava samples have been dated at 341 to 335 million years old), which was eroded by a
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British Geological Survey report on the Arthur's Seat rockfall, Edinburgh, February 2007
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790:"No Radical Road for Historic Environment Scotland - the Salisbury crags access debacle"
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467:. Two of the several extinct vents make up the 'Lion's Head' and the 'Lion's Haunch'.
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Men with a mission, 1837–1841: the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the British Isles
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has been suggested that they might be connected with the murders committed by
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749:, hill in Australia named for its resemblance to the Edinburgh Arthur's Seat.
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Arthur's Seat is the largest of the three parts of the Arthur's Seat Volcano
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Hill fort defences are visible round the main massif of Arthur's Seat at
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occupies the summit of Arthur's Seat and the subsidiary hill, Crow Hill.
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It is sometimes said that its name is derived from legends pertaining to
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Arthur's Seat is often mentioned as one of the possible locations for
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display the head of the stag with the cross framed by its antlers.
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University of Edinburgh Undergraduate Geology Notes, explains the
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in terms of its geology and proximity to a major urban site.
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Scotland
458:(approximately the last two million years), exposing rocky
837:
Monaghan, A. A.; Browne, M. A. E.; Barfod, D. N. (2014).
1093:"The Saints around the World: Strong Saints in Scotland"
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Extracts from the Burgh Records of Edinburgh: 1589–1603
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563:, which is thought to have been written about 600
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Arthur's Seat as seen over the Firth of Forth from Fife
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Virtual Tour around Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags
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1198:. The lines quoted occur in the penultimate stanza.
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Arthur's Seat, like a couchant lion of immense size
678:
The mysterious Arthur's Seat coffins, found in 1836
652:360-degree panorama from the peak of Arthur's Seat
217:Arthur's Seat (the City of Edinburgh council area)
1450:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Scotland
1406:
830:
619:the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
585:On 1 May 1590, to celebrate the safe return of
357:that is the main peak of the group of hills in
1160:"Review of An Epitome of Fifty Years Climbing"
950:"Arthur's Seat 'Lion' from St. Leonard's Bank"
883:
220:Show map of the City of Edinburgh council area
1316:
534:Panorama of Salisbury Crags and Arthur's Seat
1157:
1211:. Melbourne University Press. 26 July 2008.
514:The hill bears a strong resemblance to the
1420:Locations associated with Arthurian legend
1323:
1309:
1122:, eds. (1992), "Orson Pratt in Scotland",
1060:, Salt Lake City, Utah: Publishers Press,
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724:We've seen them round St Anthon's spring,
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1290:The Goddess in the Landscape of Scotland
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971:"Edinburgh, Holyrood Park, Arthur'sSeat"
816:"Hill Names and the John Smith Question"
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483:Aerial footage of Arthur's Seat and the
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324:
511:sills that can be seen in the Section.
27:Mountainous hill in Edinburgh, Scotland
14:
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925:. Classic Books Company. p. 279.
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1058:Century of Mormonism in Great Britain
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726:Frae grass the caller dew draps wring
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1246:Computer generated summit panoramas
498:observed that the deposition of the
454:moving from west to east during the
998:, vol. 6 (Edinburgh, 1927), p. 331.
702:on the spot. The burgh arms of the
557:, who were the subject of the poem
433:site of special scientific interest
24:
1272:at the National Museum of Scotland
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1415:Archaeological sites in Edinburgh
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730:And water clear as crystal spring
89:6.93 km (4.31 mi)
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772:Stevenson, Robert Louis (1879).
670:on the mercat cross of Edinburgh
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753:Mountains and hills of Scotland
632:In 1884, alpine mountain guide
1235:Walking guide to Arthur's Seat
1228:Chronological map of Edinburgh
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32:Arthur's Seat (disambiguation)
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1010:"Overview of Salisbury Crags"
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717:in 1773, contains the lines:
18:Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh
775:Edinburgh: Picturesque Notes
722:On May-day, in a fairy ring,
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7:
1396:Category:Hills of Edinburgh
1209:"Murray, John (1775?–1807)"
843:Scottish Journal of Geology
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405:, such as the reference in
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1445:Volcanic plugs of Scotland
1257:Formation of Arthur's Seat
893:Edinburgh University Press
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350:[ˈs̪ɯi.əˈaɾt̪ʰəɾʲ]
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1158:Graham Brown, T. (1933).
385:. At a spur of the hill,
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184:Arthur's Seat in Scotland
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1262:14 February 2012 at the
1240:15 November 2010 at the
1126:, Salt Lake City, Utah:
389:has historically been a
353:) is an ancient extinct
250:Arthur's Seat (Scotland)
79:186 m (610 ft)
66:251 m (823 ft)
1425:Carboniferous volcanoes
922:The Heart of Midlothian
889:Scotland before History
435:(the other parts being
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1455:Carboniferous Scotland
747:Arthurs Seat, Victoria
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371:Robert Louis Stevenson
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502:and formation of the
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365:, which form most of
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187:Show map of Edinburgh
1435:Marilyns of Scotland
587:James VI of Scotland
253:Show map of Scotland
136:55.94417°N 3.16194°W
30:For other uses, see
1112:Whittaker, David J.
863:10.1144/sjg2014-009
855:2014ScJG...50..165M
732:To synd them clean
578:Arthur's Seat from
132: /
1430:Hills of Edinburgh
1373:Craiglockhart Hill
1332:Hills of Edinburgh
1167:The Alpine Journal
796:. 10 February 2022
794:parkswatchscotland
728:To weet their een,
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666:Burgh arms of the
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141:55.94417; -3.16194
56:Highest point
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1368:Corstorphine Hill
1277:miniature coffins
1137:978-0-87579-546-1
1116:Esplin, Ronald K.
1067:978-0-916095-07-9
1054:Evans, Richard L.
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1033:. 20 April 2022.
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1175:. Retrieved
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1013:. Retrieved
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974:. Retrieved
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955:12 September
953:. Retrieved
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818:. April 2011
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1363:Castle Rock
1358:Calton Hill
1353:Braid Hills
1177:25 November
822:25 December
688:King Arthur
627:Orson Pratt
599:Radical War
500:sedimentary
441:Castle Rock
437:Calton Hill
413:The Cobbler
403:King Arthur
379:hillwalking
318:hillwalking
139: /
114:Coordinates
1409:Categories
759:References
549:and above
456:Quaternary
408:Y Gododdin
346:pronounced
298:Landranger
282:NT27537295
270:, Scotland
124:55°56′39″N
72:Prominence
1266:very well
1056:(1984) ,
1015:30 August
871:129644124
704:Canongate
668:Canongate
658:Mythology
634:Emile Rey
540:hill fort
489:Edinburgh
359:Edinburgh
268:Edinburgh
152:Geography
127:3°09′43″W
85:Isolation
62:Elevation
1260:Archived
1238:Archived
1146:24375869
1076:11642406
887:(1982).
800:19 April
741:See also
569:Iron Age
555:Votadini
516:Cavehill
509:dolerite
487:area of
465:couchant
439:and the
363:Scotland
305:Climbing
290:Topo map
264:Location
851:Bibcode
711:May Day
695:David I
684:Camelot
623:apostle
520:Belfast
504:igneous
452:glacier
427:Geology
355:volcano
276:OS grid
107:Marilyn
102:Listing
1230:(1919)
1144:
1134:
1098:Ensign
1074:
1064:
976:5 July
929:
899:
869:
1251:index
1163:(PDF)
867:S2CID
460:crags
1275:The
1179:2015
1142:OCLC
1132:ISBN
1072:OCLC
1062:ISBN
1017:2011
978:2011
957:2011
927:ISBN
897:ISBN
824:2013
802:2022
589:and
397:Name
859:doi
518:in
423:.
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