Mackay Cemetery Introduction
Dr. George Leslie MacKay, known as the prominent missionary Mackay, arrived in Tamsui in 1872 and dedicated himself to missionary work, medical care, and education, earning the admiration and love of the local residents. He passed away on June 2, 1901, due to throat cancer in Tamsui and was buried in the land he cherished. The Mackay Cemetery is located in a corner of Tamkang Senior High School and was originally the Tamsui Foreigners' Cemetery. However, according to his last will, a wall was built to separate his grave from those of other foreigners, underscoring Mackay's identity as a Taiwanese. The gravestone, as recorded in literature, was donated by his disciples and is entirely made of stone. Based on the stone's characteristics, it is likely from Guanyin Mountain, known for its hardness and grayish-blue color. After nearly a century, it remains in excellent condition, with the inscriptions clearly engraved and legible. The orientation of Mackay's grave faces southeast toward the northwest, approximately aligned with the Oxford College he founded.
