Old and New Edinburgh Vol. IV

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 « 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 Title and Plates Ch 26: The Northern New Town (continued) Ch 27: Northern New Town (concluded) Ch 28: The Western New Town - Haymarket - Dalry - Fountainbridge Ch 29: West Port Ch 30: The Grassmarket Ch 31: The Cowgate Ch 32: Cowgate (concluded) Ch 33: The Society Ch 34: The Lord Provosts of Edinburgh Ch 35: Infirmary Street and the Old High School Ch 36: The Old Royal Infirmary - Surgeon Square Ch 37: Arthur's Seat and its Vicinity Ch 38: Bristo and the Potterrow Ch 39: Nicolson Street and Square Ch 40: George Square and the Vicinity Ch 41: Hope Park End Ch 42: Lauriston Ch 43: George Heriot's Hospital and the Greyfriars Church Contents List of Illustrations » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. V » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. VI

334 OLD AND NEW EDINBURGH. [Nicolson Sheet There was then in Edinburgn a merchant, named Charles Jackson, to whom Charles 11. had acted as godfather in the Kirk of Keith, and Jackson was a name assumed by Charles after his escape in the Royal Oak. In consideration of all this, by an advertisement in the Courant, Mr. Jackson, as being lineally descended from a stock of royalists, ?invited all such to solemnise that memorable day (29th May) at an enclosure called Charles?s Field, lying a mile south from this city (where he hath erected a very useful bleachingfield), and there entertained them with a diversity of liquors, fine music, 8rc.? He had a huge bonfire lighted, and a tall pole erected, with a large banner displayed therefrom, and the royal oak painted on it, together with the bark in which his sacred majesty made his escape, and the colonel who accompanied him ?The company around the bonfire drank Her Majesty Queen Anne?s health, and the memory ot the happy Restoration, with great mirth and demonstrations of loyalty. The night concluded with mirth, and the standard being brought back to Mr. Jackson?s lodgings, was carried by ZoyaZ gentlemen bareheaded, and followed by several others with trumpets, hautboys, and bagpipes playing before them, where they were kindly entertained.? (Reliquiz Scofia.) CHAPTER XXXIX. NICOLSON STREET AND SQUARE. Lady Nicolson-Her Pillar-Royal Riding School-M. Angelo-New Surgeons? Hall-The Earl of Leven-Dr. Barthwick Gilchrist-The Blind Asylum-John Madmen-Sir David WilkicRaxburgh Parish-My Glenorchy?r Chapel. NICOLSON STREET, which runs southward to the Cross Causeway, on a line with the South Bridge,was formed about the middle of the eighteenth century, on the grounds of Lady Nicolson, whose mansion stood on an area now covered by the eastern end of North College Street ; and a writer in a public print recently stated that the house numhered as 82 in Nicolson Street, presently occupied as a hotel, was erected for and occupied by her after the street was formed. In Shaw?s ? Register of Entails ? under date of Tailzie, 7th October, 1763, and of Registration, 4th December, 1764, is the name of Lady Nicolson (Elizabeth Carnegie), relict of Mr. Tames Nicolson, with note of the lands and heritable subjects in the shire of Edinburgh that should belong to her at her death. In Edgar?s plan for 1765, her park, lying eastward of the Potterrow, is intersected by the ?New Road,? evidently the line of the present street, and at its northern end is her mansion, some seventy feet distant from the city wall, with a carriage gate and lodge, the only other building near it being the Royal Riding School, with its stables, on the site of the present Surgeons? Hall. On the completion of Nicolson Street, Lady Nicolson erected at its northern end a monument to her husband. It was, states Amot, a fluted Corinthian column, twenty-five feet two inches in height, with a capital and base, and fourteen inches diameter. Another account says it was from thirty to forty feet in height, and had on its pedestal an inscription in Latin and English, stating that Lady Nicolson having been left the adjacent piece of ground by her husband, had, out of regard for his memory, made it to be planned into ?? a street, to be named from him, Xicolson Street.? On the extension of the thoroughfare and ultimate completion of the South Bridge, from which it was for some years a conspicuous object, it was removed, and the affectionate memorial, instead of being placed in the little square, with that barbarous want of sentiment that has characterised many improvements in Edinburgh and elsewhere in Scotland in more important matters, was thrown aside into the yard of the adjacent Riding School, and was, no doubt, soon after broken up for rubble. One of the first edifices in the newly-formed thoroughfare was the old Riding School, a block of buildings and stables, measuring about one hundred and fifty feet each way. The first ?master of the Royal Riding Menage? was Angelo Tremamondo, a native of Italy, .as his name imports, though it has been supposed that it was merely a mountebank assumption, as it means the tremor of the world, a universal earthquake; but be that as it may, his Christian name in Edmburgh speedily dwindled clown to Aimhe. He was in the pay of the Government, was among the earliest residents in Nicolson Square, and had a salary of Lzoo per annum.

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334 OLD AND NEW EDINBURGH. [Nicolson Sheet There was then in Edinburgn a merchant, named Charles Jackson, to whom Charles 11. had acted as godfather in the Kirk of Keith, and Jackson was a name assumed by Charles after his escape in the Royal Oak. In consideration of all this, by an advertisement in the Courant, Mr. Jackson, as being lineally descended from a stock of royalists, ?invited all such to solemnise that memorable day (29th May) at an enclosure called Charles?s Field, lying a mile south from this city (where he hath erected a very useful bleachingfield), and there entertained them with a diversity of liquors, fine music, 8rc.? He had a huge bonfire lighted, and a tall pole erected, with a large banner displayed therefrom, and the royal oak painted on it, together with the bark in which his sacred majesty made his escape, and the colonel who accompanied him ?The company around the bonfire drank Her Majesty Queen Anne?s health, and the memory ot the happy Restoration, with great mirth and demonstrations of loyalty. The night concluded with mirth, and the standard being brought back to Mr. Jackson?s lodgings, was carried by ZoyaZ gentlemen bareheaded, and followed by several others with trumpets, hautboys, and bagpipes playing before them, where they were kindly entertained.? (Reliquiz Scofia.) CHAPTER XXXIX. NICOLSON STREET AND SQUARE. Lady Nicolson-Her Pillar-Royal Riding School-M. Angelo-New Surgeons? Hall-The Earl of Leven-Dr. Barthwick Gilchrist-The Blind Asylum-John Madmen-Sir David WilkicRaxburgh Parish-My Glenorchy?r Chapel. NICOLSON STREET, which runs southward to the Cross Causeway, on a line with the South Bridge,was formed about the middle of the eighteenth century, on the grounds of Lady Nicolson, whose mansion stood on an area now covered by the eastern end of North College Street ; and a writer in a public print recently stated that the house numhered as 82 in Nicolson Street, presently occupied as a hotel, was erected for and occupied by her after the street was formed. In Shaw?s ? Register of Entails ? under date of Tailzie, 7th October, 1763, and of Registration, 4th December, 1764, is the name of Lady Nicolson (Elizabeth Carnegie), relict of Mr. Tames Nicolson, with note of the lands and heritable subjects in the shire of Edinburgh that should belong to her at her death. In Edgar?s plan for 1765, her park, lying eastward of the Potterrow, is intersected by the ?New Road,? evidently the line of the present street, and at its northern end is her mansion, some seventy feet distant from the city wall, with a carriage gate and lodge, the only other building near it being the Royal Riding School, with its stables, on the site of the present Surgeons? Hall. On the completion of Nicolson Street, Lady Nicolson erected at its northern end a monument to her husband. It was, states Amot, a fluted Corinthian column, twenty-five feet two inches in height, with a capital and base, and fourteen inches diameter. Another account says it was from thirty to forty feet in height, and had on its pedestal an inscription in Latin and English, stating that Lady Nicolson having been left the adjacent piece of ground by her husband, had, out of regard for his memory, made it to be planned into ?? a street, to be named from him, Xicolson Street.? On the extension of the thoroughfare and ultimate completion of the South Bridge, from which it was for some years a conspicuous object, it was removed, and the affectionate memorial, instead of being placed in the little square, with that barbarous want of sentiment that has characterised many improvements in Edinburgh and elsewhere in Scotland in more important matters, was thrown aside into the yard of the adjacent Riding School, and was, no doubt, soon after broken up for rubble. One of the first edifices in the newly-formed thoroughfare was the old Riding School, a block of buildings and stables, measuring about one hundred and fifty feet each way. The first ?master of the Royal Riding Menage? was Angelo Tremamondo, a native of Italy, .as his name imports, though it has been supposed that it was merely a mountebank assumption, as it means the tremor of the world, a universal earthquake; but be that as it may, his Christian name in Edmburgh speedily dwindled clown to Aimhe. He was in the pay of the Government, was among the earliest residents in Nicolson Square, and had a salary of Lzoo per annum.

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