Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time

All Books Kay's Originals Vol. 1 Kay's Originals Vol. 2 Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time Edinburgh Past and Present Old and New Edinburgh Vol. I Old and New Edinburgh Vol. II Old and New Edinburgh Vol. III Old and New Edinburgh Vol. IV Old and New Edinburgh Vol. V Old and New Edinburgh Vol. VI

Go to: « Kay's Originals Vol. 1 « Kay's Originals Vol. 2 Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time Cover Title Pages Contents List of Illustrations Preface Part 1: Historical Associations Part 1 Ch 1: Earliest Traditions Part 1 Ch 2: From The Accession of The Stuarts to the Death of James III Part 1 Ch 3: From the Accession of James IV to the Battle of Flodden Part 1 Ch 4: From the Battle of Flodden to the Death of James V Part 1 Ch 5: From the Death of James V to the Abdication of Queen Mary Part 1 Ch 6: From the Accession of James VI to the Restoration of Charles II Part 1 Ch 7: Historical Incidents after the Restoration Part 2: Local Antiquities and Traditions Part 2 Ch 1: The Castle Part 2 Ch 2: King's Stables, Castle Barns, and Castle Hill Part 2 Ch 3: The Lawnmarket Part 2 Ch 4: The Tolbooth, Luckenbooths, and Parliament Close Part 2 Ch 5: The High Street Part 2 Ch 6: The High Street and Nether Bow Part 2 Ch 7: The Canongate and Abbey Sanctuary Part 2 Ch 8: St Leonard's, St Mary's Wynd, and The Cowgate Part 2 Ch 9: The West Bow and Suburbs Part 2 Ch 10: Leith, and The New Town Part 2 Ch 11: Ecclesiastical Antiquities Appendix » Edinburgh Past and Present » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. I » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. II » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. III » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. IV » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. V » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. VI

1 24 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH. anticipated, on the loftiest and least accessible part of the rock on which it is built. Here, on the very edge of the precipitous cliff, overhanging the Old Town several hundred feet below, the ancient Royal Palace is reared, forming the south and east sides of a large quadrangle, called the Grand Parade. The chief portion of the southern side of this square consists of a large ancient edifice, long converted into an hospital for the garrison, but which had been ori,ginally the great hall of the Palace. Notwithstanding the numerous changes to which it has been subjected in adapting it to its present use, some remains of its ancient grandeur have been preserved. At the top of the principal staircase may be seen a very finely sculptured stone corbel, now somewhat mutilated, representing in front a female face of very good proportions, and ornamented on each with a volute and thistle. On this still rests the original oak beam ; and on either side of it there are smaller beamfl let into the wall, with shields carved on the front of each. The whole are now defaced with whitewash, but they afford evidence of the existence formerly of a fine open timbered roof to the great hall, and it is probable that much more of it still remains, though concealed by modern ceilings and partitions. From the occasional assembling of the Parliament here, while the Scottish Monarchs continued to reside in the Castle, it still retain8 the name of the Parliament House.’ The view from the windows on this side of the Palace is scarcely surpassed by any other in the capital. Immediately below are the picturesque old houses of the Grassmarket and West Port, crowned by the magnificent towers of Heriot’s Hospital. From this abyss, the hum of the neighbouring city rises up, mellowed by the distance, into one pleasing voice of life and industry; while, beyond, a gorgeous landscape is spread out, reaching almoat to the ancient landmarks of the kingdom, guarded on the far east by the old keep of Craigmillar Castle, and on the west by Merchiston Tower. Between these is still seen the wide expanse of the Borough Muir, on which the fanciful eye of one familiar with the national history will summon up the Scottish hosts marshalling for southern war ; as when the gallant Jameses looked forth from these same towers, and proudly beheld them gathering around the standard of (( the Ruddy Lion,” pitched in the massive (( Bore Stane,”’ still remaining at the Borough Muir Head. The windows in this part of the quadrangle have been very large, though now partly built up, and near the top of the building, there is a sculptured shield, much defaced, which seems to bear the Scottish Lion, with a crown over it. A stone tablet over the arch of the old doorway, with ’ Immediately to the east of this, the royal apartments are situated. In the Treasurer‘s Acoounta, various items occur, relating to the royal apartmenta in the Castle, e.g. AJJ. 1516, “for trein werk (timber work) for The Great Haw Windois in the Castell; gret gestis, doubill dalis, &c., for the Myd Chamer ;” and, again, r( to Robert Balye for fluring of the Lordis Haw in Davidis Tower of the Castell in Ed‘ ”-Pitcairn’s Crim. Trials, Appendix. The Hall is also alluded to in the survey of 1572, and ita locality deacribed aa “On the south syde wher the haule is,” &c.-Bann. Misc., vol. ii. p. 70. In a seriee of “One hundred and fifty select views, by P. Sandby,” published by Boydell, there is one of Edinburgh Castle from the south, dated 1779, in which two of the great hall windows remain ; they are lofty, extending through two stories of the building, as now arranged, and apparently divided by stone mullions. Bore Stane, so called from the hollow or Lore into which the staff of the royal standard was placed (vide Marmion, canto iv. v. 28). About a mile south of this, near the entrance to Morton Hall, is the Eare Stane (confounded by Maitland, p. 506, with the former). Various stones in Gloucestershire and other districta of England bear the same name, which an antiquarian friend suggests is probably derived from the Saxun I?&, signifying slaughter, and therefore indicating the site of an ancient battle. About a mile to the south of this, a huge h i d i c a l mass of red sandstone bears the name of Buck Stane. The two last are popularly believed to mark the rendezvous of the Court for coursing the hare or hunting the buck in “ The olden time.” The coping, supported on stone corbels, still remains a8 in the earliest views.

  Shrink   Print