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

240 OLD AND NEW EDINBURGH. [Cowgate. on any pretext, under pain of forfeiture of all he possessed and final banishment-measures rendered necessary by the recent defeat at Pinkey. In 1555 the magistrates assigned the care of the Cowgate Port-the gate which closed the street on a line with the Pleasance-to Luke Moresoun for In 1558 the causeway of the Cowgate was ~ ordered to be raised and re-laid level at the expense of the heritors, from the (Black) Friars Wynd to Marlin?s Wynd. The gorge through which the Cowgate runs must once have been much deeper than it is now become, OLD HOUSES IN THE COWGATE, NEAR THE SOUTH BRIDGE, 1850. (FWN a drnwiwg t.r Willinnr chr~=i-s..) thirty shillings yearly, with orders ?to steik and oppin the samyn,? from Michaelmas to Candlemas, between 6 am. and 5 p.m., and from Candlemas to Michaelmas between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. ; and in the same year they paid fourteen shillings to Mungo Hunter, smith, for a new great hanging lock and key for the gate, because ?the auld loke was first brokin and mendit that it could nocht be eftir mendit? by the accumulation of soil and successive causeways. As a proof of this, in 1836 the blade of a large knife or dagger was found eleven feet below the present surface, while a drain was being dug ; and in the October of the same year an ancient iron hammer was found six feet below the surface, lying close to a thick stone wall, which had once crossed the Cowgate diagonally towards the west side of the Candlemaker Row.

  Enlarge     Pictures

Cowgate.] ANCIENT Both these relics are now preserved in the Museum of Antiquities. An act of the Privy Council in 1616 describes Edinburgh as infested by strong and idle vagabonds, having their resorts ?in some parts of the Cowgate, Canongate, Potterrow, West Port, &c., where they ordinarily convene every night, and pass their time in all kind of not and filthy lechery, to the offence and displeasure of God,? lying all day on CLOSES. 241 Close in 1514; Todrig?s Wynd is mentioned in 1456, when Patrick Donald granted two merks yearly from his tenement therein for repairing the altar of St. Hubert, and in 1500 a bailie named Todrig, was assaulted with drawn swords in his own house by two men, who were taken to the Tron, and had their hands stricken through. Carrubber?s Close was probably named from ? William of Caribris,? one of the three bailies in THE COWGATE, FROM THE PORT TO COLLEGE WYND, 1646. ( A f b cfdsthumay.) 17. The Cowgate ; 44, Peebles Wynd ; 45, Merlin?s Wynd ; 46, Niddry?s Wynd ; 47, Dickson?s Close : 50, Gnfs Wynd ; 5% St Mad5 w p d ; h St Mary?s Wpd Suburbs ; I; Cov&e Port ; g, Si M a j s Wynd Port ; 53, The College Wynd ; 54. Robertson?s Wynd ; 55. High School Wynd ; q, Lady Yeser?s Kirk ; .r, The High School ; w, The College ; y, S i M;uy of the Fields, or the Kirk of Fields ; 25, The Town Wall. the causeway, extorting alms with ? shameful exclamations,? to such an extent that passengers could neither walk nor confer in the streets without being impeded and pestered by them ; hence the magistrates gave orders to expel them wholesale from the city and keep it clear of them. The Burgh Records throw some light on the names of certain of the oldest closes-those running between the central street and the Cowgate, as being the residences or erections of old and influential citizens. Thus Niddry?s Wynd is doubtless connected with Robert Niddry, a magistrate in 1437 ; Cant?s Close with Adam Cant, who was Dean of Guild in 1450, though it is called Alexander Cant?s 79 1454, as doubtless Con?s Close was from John Con, a wealthy flesher of 1508. William Foular?s Close is mentioned in 1521, when Bessie Symourtoun is ordered to be burned there on the cheeks and banished for passing gear infected with the pest ; and Mauchan?s Close was no doubt connected with the name of John Mauchane, one of the bailies in 1523; Lord Eorthwick?s Close is frequently mentioned before 1530, and Francis Bell?s Close occurs in the City Treasurer?s Accounts, under date 1554. Liberton?s Wynd is mentioned in a charter by James 111. in 1474, and the old protocol books of the city refer to it frequently in the twelve years preceding Flodden ; William Liberton?s heirs are

  Enlarge     Pictures