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

322 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH. overpowering force. Conjecture is vain as to the depositor of this hidden treasure ; but we may fancy the prowess or cunning of some hardy burgher achieving sudden victory over a stray band of the insolent invaders, and concealing here the hard-won spoils, for which he never returned. Beyond the arch of the bridge, from whence the busy crowds of the modern city look down on this deserted scene of former magnificence, we again come to antique memorials of other times. Here was a steep and straitened alley ascending towards the southern side of the town, which formed in remote times the avenue to the Collegiate Church of St Mary in the Fields; and at a more recent, though still early period, the public approach to the Old College of Edinburgh. This ancient avenue possessed interesting associations with successive generations, from the period when Dominicans and Greyfriars, and the priests and choristers of St Mary’s College, clamb the steep ascent, down to a time, not long gone by, when grave professors and wily practitioners of the law shared among them itsjuts and common stairs. This ancient thoroughfare formerly bore the name of “ The Wynd of the Blessed Virgin Mary in-the-Field,” as appears from the charters of property acquired by the town for the establishment of King James’s College.’ About the middle of the wynd, on the east side, a curious and antique edifice retained many of its original features, notwithstanding its transmutation from a Collegium Sacerdoturn, or prebendal building of the neighbouring collegiate church, to a brewers’ granary and a spirit vault. Such, at least, we conceive to have been its original destination. The ground floor had been entirely refaced with hewn stoue ; but over a large window on the first floor there was a sculptured lintel, which is mentioned by k n o t as having surmounted the gateway into the inner court. It bore the following inscription, cut in beautifd and very early characters :- Bbe flaria, QDratia plena, Damintter tecum. At the close of the chapter, a sketch of a beautiful, though mutilated, Gothic niche is given, which was on the front of the building. It is said to have originally stood over the main gateway above the carved lintel we have described, and without doubt it contained a statue of the TTi.rgin, to whom the wayfarer’s supplications were invited. These interesting remains, so characteristic of the obsolete faith and habits of a former age, afforded undoubted evidence of the importance of this building in early times, when it formed a part of the extensive collegiate establishment of St Mary in-the-Fields, founded and endowed apparently by the piety of the wealthy citizens of the capital. To complete the ecclesiastical features of this ancient edifice, a boldly-cut shield on the lower crow-step bore the usual monogram of our Saviour, fbs-and the windows presented the common feature of .broken mullions and transoms, with which they had originally been divided. Internally the building presented features of a more recent date, indicating that its earliest lay occupants were worthy neighbours of the aristocratic denizens of the Cowgate. A stucco ceiling in the principal apartment was adorned with a variety of ornaments in the style prevalent in the reign of Charles I., the most prominent among which was the winged “Shaw’s tenement in the Wynd of the Blessed &ry in-the-Field, now the College Wynd. Item, an instrument of aaaine, dated 30th June, 1525, of a land built and waste, lying in the Wynd of the Blessed Virgin Mary in-thsField, on the weat aide thereof, &e., in favour of Alex. Schaw. son of Wrn. Schaw of Po1kemrnet.’”-From Descriptive Inventory of Tuwn’q purchases for the Gllege, Burgh Charter Room.

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