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

ST LEONARD'S, ST MARY'S WYND, AND COWGATE. 331 operations, the workmen found beyond the old city wall, and at a depth of eighteen feet below the level of the present Cowgate, a common shaped barrel, about six feet high, standing upright, imbedded eighteen inches deep in a stratum of blue clay, and with a massive stone beside it. The appearance of the whole suggested the idea that the barrel had been so placed to collect the rain water from the eaves of a neighbouring house, and with a stepping-stone to enable any one to reach its contents. At a little distance from this, to the westward, and about the same depth, a large copper vessel was found, measuring fully eighteen inches in diameter by six inches deep. This interesting relic is now deposited in the Museum of the Society of Antiquaries, along with some portions of the barrel staves, and there can be no question that both had formed at a very remote period part of the eurta supelkx of a citizen of note. The size of the copper vessel is of itself a proof of its owner.% wealth, and could only have belonged to some person of distinction. But the most curious inference derived from these discoveries is the evidence they afford of the gradual rising of the street in the course of ages. Some years before a pavement was discovered, about twelve feet below the surface, in digging towards the east end of the Cowgate for a large drain, and here domestic utensils, at a still lower level, proved how gradual, yet unceasing, must have been the progress of this phenomenon common to all ancient cities. From the want of police regulations in the Middle Ages, refuse and rubbish accumulated on the street, and became trodden down into a firm soil, until even pavements were lost sight of, and the bases of the buildings were adapted to the new level.' In the ancient title-deeds of Merchant's Court, already referred to as the mansion of the Earl of Haddington, it is described as '(that great lodging, with the yaird, well, closs, and perta thereof, lying betwixt ye lands pertaining to umq" Wm. Speed, bailie, and me certain trance regal, leading to ye Grayfrer's Port, on ye west. The arable land, or croft of the Sisters of ye Nuns of ye Sheyns, on ye south, &c." On a part of this ground lying to the south of the Cowgate, and belonging to the Convent of St Catherine de Sienna, a corporation was established so early as 1598, for the brewing of ale and beer, commodities which have ever since been foremost among the staple productions of Edinburgh. The name Society, which still pertains to this part of the town, preserves B record of this ancient company of brewers, and from the same cause, the neighbouring Greyfriars or Bristow Port, is frequently styled Society Port' Between this and the Cowgate lies the once fashionable district, which a correspondent of the Edinburgh Advertiser in- 1764 styles '' that very elegant square, called Brown Square," and which he thinks wants nothing to complete its beauty but (' an elegant statue of his Majesty in the middle f " Such a project might not now seem so extravagant, since the improvers of the neighbourhood have swept away the east and west sides of it, and thrown it open to the great public thoroughfare of the neighbourhood; but at that time it was a little square area not so large as S c o l ~N~ov,. 16, 1844. ' '.The foundation and building of the howssis for sill and beir brewing, beqd the Grayfrier Port, callit the Societie, was begun in the yeir of God, 1598."-f&t. of King Jam the Sed, p. 374, In ye beginning of yie moneth, the Societie begrin to yr work at the Gxay Friar Kirke."-BireZs Diary. A curious fragment of the Old Town wall remains to the south of Society buildings, and one of them, built upon it, is a singular and unique Bpecimen of early architecture, wrought in ornamental panels between the windows, and with deep eaves to the roof, somewhat in the style of the old brick and timber fronts, common at Canterbury and other ancient English towna Adjoining thia was a Jong-established tavern, which bore the quaint name of the E& in thc Way. " Ap. 26,1598.

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