70 OLD AND NEW EDINBURGH. [The Water of Leith.
of Badajoz is extolled by Napier, and who died
fort major of Edinburgh Castle. On the opposite
side of the path, a modest stone marks the spot
where lies Captain John Grant, the last survivor
of the old Peninsula Gordon Highlanders, who
covered the retreat at Alba de Tormes, and was
the last officer to quit the town.
Near it is the grave of Captain Charles Gray of
the Royal Marines, the genial author of so many
Scottish songs ; and perhaps one of the most interesting
interments of recent years was that of Lieutenant
John Irving, R.N. (son of John Irving, W.S.,
the schoolfellow and intimate friend of Sir Walter
Scott), one of the officers of the ill-fated Franklin
expedition, who died in 1848 or 1849, and whose
remains were sent home by Lieutenant Sohwatka,
of the United States Navy, and laid in the Dean
Cemetery in January, 1881, after a grand naval and
military funeral, in accordance with his rank as
Lieutenant of the Royal Navy."
CHAPTER VII.
VALLEY OF THE WATER OF LEITH (continlced).
The Dean Bridge-Landslips at Stockbridge-Stone Coffins-Floods in the Leith-Population in 174a-St. Bemard's Estate-Ross's Tower
-I' Christopher North" in Anne Street-De Quincey there-%. Bernard's Well-Cave at Randolph Cliff-Veitch's Square-Chuiches in.
the Localit$-Sir Henry Raebm-Old Deanhiugh-House.
ABOUT a hundred yards west by north of Randolph
Crescent this deep valley is spanned by a stately
bridge, built in 1832, after designs by Telford.
This bridge was erected almost solely at the expense
of the Lord Provost Learmonth of Dean,
to form a direct communication with his property,
with a view to the future feuing of the latter.
It was when an excavation was made for its northern
pier that the Roman urn was found of which
an engraving will be seen on page 10 of the first
volume of this work. Over the bridge, the roadway
passes at the great height of 106 feet above the
rocky bed of the stream. The arches are four in
number, and each is ninety-six feet in span. The
total length is 447 feet, the breadth thirty-nine feet
between the parapets, from which a noble view of
the old Leith village, with its waterfall, is had to
the westward, while on the east the eye travels
along the valley to the distant spires of the seaport.
That portion of it adjoining Stockbridge is still
very beautiful and picturesque, but was far more
so in other days, when, instead of the plain back
Views of Moray Place and Ainslie Place, the steep
green bank was crowned by the stately trees of
Drumsheugh Park, and tangled brakes of bramble
and sweet-smelling hawthorn overhung the water
of the stream, which was then pure, and in some
places abounded with trout. Unconfined by stone
walls, 'the long extent of the mill-lade here was
then conveyed in great wooden ducts, raised upon
posts. These ducts were generally leaky, and
being patched and mended from time to time, and
covered with emerald-green moss and garlands of
creepers and water-plants, added to the rural
aspect of the glen. Between the bridge and the
mineral well, a great saugh tree, shown in one of;
Ewbank's views, overhung the lade and footpath,.
imparting fresh beauty to the landscape.
'' At Stockbridge," says the Edinburgh Advertiser
for 1823, '' we cannot but regret that the rage for
building is fast destroying the delightful scenery
between it and the neighbouring village of the:
Water of Leith, which had so long been a prominent
ornament in the envGons of our ancient
city."
At the southern end of the bridge, where
Randolph Cliff starts abruptly up, dangerous landslips
have more than once occurred ; one notably
so in March, 1881, when a mass of rock and earth
fell down, and completely choked up the lade which
drives the Greenland, Stockbridge, and Canonmills,
flour-mills.
At the north-westem end of the bridge is the
Trinity Episcopal Church, built in 1838, from a.
design by John Henderson, in the later English
style, with nave, aisles, and a square tower. To the
north-eastward an elegant suburb extends away
down the slope until it joins Stockbridge, comprising
crescents, terraces, and streets, built between
1850 and 1877.
The following is a detailed explanation of the woodcut on the
previous page :-I, View looking along the West Wall, showing, on the
right, the monument to Buchanan, founder of the Buchanan Institute,
Glasgow, and on the extreme left, the grave of Mr. Ritchie, of Tlu
Smlmruz (the pyramid at further end of walk is Lord Rutherford's
tomb, and Lord Cockbum's is near to it); z, Sir Archibald Alison's
gave (the larger of the Gothic mural tablets in white marble): 3,
Grave of George Combe ; 1, Monument to Alexander Russel, Editor
>f T/u Scoismm; 5, Tomb, on extreme left, of Lord Rutherford, next
to it that of Lord Jeffrey, the Runic Cross in the path is erected to.
Lieut. Irving of the Franklin Expedition; 6, Grave of Prof. W%on
:obelisk under tree), and of Prof. Aytoun (marble pedestal with crose
>U top).
