STLEONARD’S, ST MARY’S WYND, AND COWGATE. 325
She was noted among our precise grandames for her pre-eminent pomp and formality, and
would order out her carriage to pay a ceremonious visit to some titled neighbour it the
corner of the wynd. Here, too, resided Lord Rennet, Baron Stuart, and other suitable
occupants of so aristocratic a quarter. Lord Covington, Lord Minto, and other titled
dwellers in the Cowgate and the neighbouring alleys in recent times might be mentioned,
but enough has already been said to illustrate the striking revolution that took place in
this locality within a very brief period.
Nearly opposite the site of the Old Parliament Stairs, a uniform and lofty range of
handsome tenemepts forms the front of an enclosed quadrangle, which includes within its
precincts the Tailors’ Hall, by far the most stately of all the corporation halls, if we except
St Magdalen’s Chapel, and one interestingly associated with important national and civic
events. A handsome broad archway, considerably ornamented, forms the entrance through
the front tenement to the inner quadrangle. This exterior gateway is surmounted by an
ornamental tablet, decor&ed with a huge pair of shears, the insignia of the craft, and
bearing the dat,e 1644, with the following elegant distich:-
ALMIGHTIE GOD WHO FOVND
ED BVILT AND CROVND
THIS WORK WITH BLESSINGS
MAK IT TO ABOVhTD.
This building, as seen from within the quadrangle, has an exceedingly picturesque and
imposing effect. Two loftly crow-stepped gables project, as uniform wings, into the court,
and between them is the deep-browed arch leading from the Cowgate, above which rises a
double tier of windows, surmounted by a handsome ornamental gable in the roof. All
this, however, is the mere vestibule to the Tailors’ Hall, which occupies the south and east
sides of the court. Here, again, we find evidence that the craft were wont of old, as now,
to extend their professional patronage to the muses. The accompanying vignette represents
the Hall as it appeared prior to its receiving the addition of another story, to adapt
it for its modern use as a brewer’s granary; for, alas, the glory has long since departed
from the Tailor Craft in Edinburgh ! Over the ornamental pediment which surmounts the
east wing of the building, the insignia of the shears is again seen, with the date 1621, and
this pious inscription :-GOD . GIVE . THE . BLISING . TO . THE . TAILZER. CRAFT . IN
THE . GOOD . TOVN . OF . EDINBURGEO. n the lowest crow-step beside this is cut the
professional device of three balls of thread ; and over the main entrance is the following
elegant and laudable dedication of the Hall and whole Corporation, as the temple and
ministers of virtue. No wonder than good citizens were scandalised when the former was
diverted from its legitimate use to the profane orgies of the players :-
TO. TfiE. GLORE. O F . GOD. AND. VERTEWIS. RENOWNE.
THE. CWMPANIE . O F . TAILZEOVRS. WITHIN. THIS. GOOD. TOVNE .
FOR. MEITING . O F . THAIR . CRAFT. THIS . HAL . HES . ERECTED .
WITH. TRUST. I N . GODS. GOODNES. TO. B E . BLIST. AND. PROTECTED.
Internally this venerable hall has been so entirely altered that no idea can now be
