THE LA WNMARKET. I81
On the west side of the County Hall there still exists a part of the “ transs ” of Libberton’s
Wynd, but all other remains have been swept away by the same “ improvement‘
mania,” whose work we have already recorded in the neighbouring closes. This wynd
formed, at one period, one of the principal thoroughfares for pedestrians from the fashionable
district of the Cowgate to the “ High Town.” Its features did not greatly differ from
those of many other of the old closes, with its substantial stone mansions eked out here
and there by irregular timber projections, until the narrow stripe of sky overhead had
well-nigh been blotted out by their overhanging gab1es.l The most interesting feature
in the wynd was Johnie Dowie’s Tavern, already alluded to,-the Mermaid Tavern of
Edinburgh during the last century,-whither the chief wits and men of letters were wont
to resort, in accordance with the habits of society at that period. Here Ferguson the
poet, David Herd, one of the earliest collectors of Scottish songs, “ antiquarian Paton,”
with others of greater note in their own day than now,-lords of session, and leading
advocates, inhabitants of the neighbouring fashionable district,-were wont to congregate.
Martin, a celebrated portrait painter of the last century, instituted a club here, which was
quaintly named after the host, Boway College, and thither his more celebrated pupil, Sir
Henry Raeburn, often accompanied him in his younger days. But, above all, this was the
favourite resort of Robert Burns, where he spent many jovial hours with Willie Nicol, and
Allan Masterton,-the ‘‘ blithe hearts ” of his most popular song,- and with his city
friends of all degrees, during his first visit to Edinburgh. On the death of John Dowie
(a sober and respected city, who amassed a considerable fortune, and left his only son a
Major in the army), the old place of entertainment acquired still greater note under the
name of Burns’s Tavern. The narrow room was visited by strangers as the scene of the
poet’s most frequent resort; and at the period of its demolition in 1834, it had taken a
prominent place among the lions of the Old Town. The house had nothing remarkable
about it as a, building, It bore the date of its erection, 1728, and in the ancient titles,
belonging to a previous building, it is described as bounded on the south by U the King’s
auld wall.” This ancient thoroughfare appears to have retained its original designation,
while closes immediately adjoining were receiving new names with accommodating facility on
every change of occupants, Libberton’s Wynd is mentioned in a charter granted by James
111. in the year 1477; and in later years its name occurred in nearly every capital
sentence of the criminal court, the last permanent place of public execution, after the
demolition of the Old Tolbooth, having been at the head of the wynd. The victims of the
law’s highest penalty, within the brief period alluded to, offer few attractions to the antiquarian
memorialist, unless the pre-eminent infamy of the “ West Port murderers,” Burke
and Hare,-the former of whom was executed on this spot-be regarded as establishing
their claim to rank among the celebrated characters of Edinburgh. The sockets of “ the
fatal tree ” were removed, along with objects of greater interest and d u e , in completing
the approach to the new bridge.
Carthrae’s, Forrester’s, and Beth’s Wynds, all once stood between Libberton’s Wynd
and St Giles’s Church, but every relic of them had been swept awyyears before the latter
work of destruction was projected. Forrester’s Wynd waa evidently a place of note in
earlier times, and frequent allusions to it occur in some of the older diaries ; e.g., ‘‘ Vpoun
A very accurate and characteristic view of this wynd, from the Cowgate, ie given among Geikie’e Etchings.
