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

242 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH. The mansion of the Earl in the Old Stamp Office Close was celebrated at a subsequent period as Fortune’s tavern, a favourite resort of men of rank and fashion, while yet some of the nobles of Scotland dwelt in its old capital. At a still later period, it was the scene of the annual festivities during the Hittings of the General Assembly of the Kirk, towards the close of last century. The old Zarl of Leven, who was for many years the representative of majesty at the High Court of the Church, annually took up his abode at this fashionable tavern, and received in state the courtiers who crowded to his splendid levees.’ Still more strangely does it contrast with modern notions, to learn that the celebrated Henry Dundas, first Viscount Melville, began practice as an advocate while residing on the third flat of the old land a little further down the street, at the head of the Flesh Market Close, and continued to occupy his exalted dwelling for a considerable time. Below this close, we again come to works of more modern date. Milne Square, which bears the date 1689, exhibits one of the Old Town improvements before its contented citizens dreamt of bursting their ancient fetters, and rearing a new city beyond the banks of the North Loch. To the east of this, the first step in that great undertaking demolished some of the old lanes of the High Street, and among the rest the Cap and Feather Close, a short alley which stood immediately above Halkerston’s Wynd. The lands that formed the east side of this close still remain in North Bridge Street, presenting doubtless, to the eye of every tasteful reformer, offensive blemishes in the modern thoroughfare ; yet this unpicturesque locality has peculiar claims on the interest of every lover of Scottish poetry, for here, on the 5th of September 1750, the gifted child of genius, Robert Ferpson, was born. The precise site of his father’s dwelling is unknown, but now that it has been transformed by the indiscriminating hands of modern improvers, this description may sufice to suggest to some as they pass along that crowded thoroughfare such thoughts as the dwellers in cities are most careless to encourage.’ Availing ourselves of the subdivision of the present subject, effected by the improvements to which we have adverted, we shall retrace our steps, and glance at such associations with the olden time as may still be gathered from the scene of the desolating fires that swept away nearly every ancient feature on the south side of the High Street. Within the last few years, the sole survivor of all the antique buildings that once reared their picturesque and lofty fronts between the Lawnmarket and Niddry’s Wynd has been demolished, to make way for the new Police Office. It had strangely withstood the terrible conflagration that raged around it in 1824, and, with the curious propensity that still prevails in Edinburgh for inventing suggestive and appropriate names, it was latterly universally known as “ the Salamander Land.” ’ Through this a large archway led into the Old Fish Market Close, on the west side of which, previous to the Great Fire, the huge pile of buildings in the Parliament Close reared its southern front high over all the neigh- In 1812 an unwonted spectacle waa exhibited at the head of the Old Stamp Office .Close, in the execution of three young la& there, as the leadera in a riot that took place un New Year’s Day of that year, in which several citizens were killed and numerous robberies committed. The judges fixed upon this spot, as having been the scene of the chief bloodshed that had occurred, in order to mark more impressively the detestation of their crimes. A small work was published by the Rev. W. Innes, entitled “ Notes of Conversations ’’ with the criminals. ’ In Edgar’s map, the close is shown extending no farther than in a line with Milne’s Court, so that the whole of the east side etill remains, including, it may be, the poet’s birthplace. ’ We have been told that this land was aaid to have been the residence of Defoe while in Edinburgh ; the tradition, however, ia entirely unaupported by other testimony.

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