The Burry Man of South Queensferry

The Burry Man is a distinctive local custom associated with South Queensferry, near Edinburgh. A participant wears a costume covered with burrs and makes a slow journey through the community, accompanied by attendants.

Accounts of the event document its local importance, but confident claims about an ancient ritual origin are difficult to substantiate. The custom is best understood through both historical records and its continuing local practice.

Place: South Queensferry, Scotland. Evidence: living annual custom. Source trail: local historical records and Scottish folklore collections.