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

136 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH. tion for the royal stables, but the approach to it from the Castle must have been by a very inconvenient and circuitous route, although it was immediately overlooked by the windows of the royal apartments. It seems more probable that the earliest buildings on this site were erected in the reign of James IV., when the low ground to the westward was the scene of frequent tiltings and of magnificent tournaments, the fame of which spread throughout Europe, and attracted the most daring knights-errant to that chivalrous Monarch’s Court.’ Considerable accommodation would be required for the horses and attendants on these occasions, as well as for the noble combatants, among whom the King, it is we11 known, was no idle spectator ; but the buildings of that- date, which we presume to have been reared for these public combats, were probably only of a temporary nature, as they were left without the extended wall, built at the commencement of the following reign, in 1513, a procedure not likely to have taken place had they been of much value. Maitland, however, mentions a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the remains of which were visible in his time (1750) at the foot of the Chapel Wynd; and Kincaid,’ who wrote towards the close of the century, speaks of them a8 still remaining there ; but since then they have entirely disappeared, and nothing but the name of the Wynd, which formed the approach to the chapel, survives to indicate its site. This may, with every probability, be presumed to have been at the point of junction with that and the Lady’s Wynd, both evidently named from their proximity to the same chapel. On this locality, now occupied by the meanest buildings, James IV. was wont to preside at the jousting5 of the knights and barons of his Court, and to present the meed of honour to the victor from his own hand; or, as in the famous encounter, already related, between Sir Patrick Hamilton and a Dutch knight, to watch the combat from the Castle walls, and from thence to act as umpire of the field. The greater portion of the ancient tilting ground remained unenclosed when Maitland wrote, and is described by him as a pleasant green, about one hundred and fifty yards long and fifty broad, adjoining the chapel of the Virgin Mary, on the west. But this U pleasant green ” is now crowded with slaughter-houses, tan-pits, and dwellings of the humblest description. In the challenge in 1571, between Alexander Stewart, younger, of Garlies, and Sir William Rirkaldy of Grange, the place of combat proposed is, “upon the ground the baresse be-west the West Port of Edinburgh, the place accustomed, and of old appointed, for triell of suche matera.”’ The exact site of this interesting spot is now occupied in part by the western approach, which crosses it immediately beyond the Castle Bridge; it is defined in one of the title-deeda of the ground, acquired by the City Improvements Commission, as ‘(,4 11 and hail1 these houses and yards of Orchardfield, commonly called Livingston’s Yards, comprehending therein that piece of ground called The Barras.” The interest attaching to these scenes of ancient feats of arms has been preserved by successive events almost to our own day. In 1661 the King’s Stables were purchased by the Town Council for f,lOOO Scots, and the admission of James Boisland, the seller, to the freedom of the city.4 The right, however, of the new possessors, to whom they would seem to have been resold, was made a subject of legal investigation at a later date. Foun- Ante, p. 23. 3 Maitland, p. 172. Kincaid, p. 103. ’ Calderwood‘a Hist, Wnd. Soc., vol. iii. p. 108. Coun. Reg., vol. xx. p. 268, apud Kincaid, p. 103.

  Shrink   Print