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

KING’S STABLES, CASTLE BARNS, AND CASTLE HILL. t37 tainhall records, 11th March 1685, a reduction pursued by the Duke of Queensberry, as Constable and Captain of the Castle of Edinburgh, against Thomas Boreland and the other heritors and possessors of the King’s Stables, alleging that they were 8 part of the Castle. The proprietors claimed to hold their property by virtue of a feu granted in the reign of James V. But the judges decided, that unless the defendera could prove a legal dissolution of the royal possession, they must be held as the King’s Stables, belonging to the Castle, and accordingly annexed to the Crown. Thomas Boreland’s house still stands: immediately behind the site of the old Corn Narket. It is a handsome and substantial erection, adorned with picturesque gables and dormer windows, which form a prominent feature in the oft-repeated view of (( the Castle from the Vennel ; ” and from the date, 1675, which atill appears over the main doorway, we may presume that this substantial mansion, then so recently erected, had its full influence in directing the attention of the Duke of Queensberry to this pendicle of the royal patrimony. It bears over the entrance, in addition to the date, the initials T. B. and V. IL, those of the proprietor, and probably of his brother or wife; and above them is boldly carved the loyal inscription, FEAR - GOD HONOR * THE * KING. It may reasonably be presumed that the owner must have regarded the concessions demanded from him on behalf of royalty, so speedily thereafter, as a somewhat freer translation of his motto than he had any conception of, when he inscribed it where it should daily remind him of the duties of a good subject. Several of the neighbouring houses are evidently of considerable antiquity, and may, with little hesitation, be referred to a much earlier date than this. Their latest reflection of the privileges of royalty haEl been that of affording sanctuary for a brief period to debtors, a right of protection pertaining to the precincts of royal residences, now entirely fallen into desuetude there, though firmed to have proved available for this purpose within the memory of some aged neighbours.’ A little to the west of this, in the immediate neighbourhood of the Canal Basin, is a place still bearing the name of the Castle Barns. It is described by Maitland as for the accommodation of the Court when the King resided in the Castle, and it no doubt occasionally sufficed for such a purpose ; but the name implies its having been the grange or farm attached to the royal residence, and this is further confirmed by earlier maps, where a considerable portion of ground, now lying on both sides of the Lothian Road, is included under the term. But the most interesting portion of Edinburgh connected with the Castle, is its ancient approach. Under the name of the Castle Hill, is included not only the broad Esplanade extending between the fortifications and the town, but also a considerable district, formerly bounded on the south by the West Bow, and contailling many remarkable and once patrician alleys and mansions, the greater portion of which have disappeared in the course of the extensive changes effected of late years on that part of the town. A singularly picturesque and varied mass of buildings forms the nearest portion of the town to the Castle, on the south side of the approach, though there existed formerly s very old house between this and the Castle, as delineated in Gordon’s map. This group is 1 Disposition of House in Portsburgh, Council Charter Room. Chambers’s Traditions, vol. i. p. 99. S

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