Old and New Edinburgh Vol. VI

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 « Old and New Edinburgh Vol. V Old and New Edinburgh Vol. VI Plates Ch 20: Leith - Historical Survey (continued) Ch 21: Leith - Historical Survey (continued) Ch 22: Leith - Historical Survey (concluded) Ch 23: Leith - The Kirkgate Ch 24: Leith - The Kirkgate (concluded) Ch 25: Leith - Tolbooth Wynd and Adjoining Streets Ch 26: Leith - Rotten Row, Broad Wynd, Bernard Street, Baltic Street, and Quality Street Ch 27: Leith - Constitution Street, The Shore, Coal Hill, and Sheriff Brae Ch 28: North Leith Ch 29: Leith - The Links Ch 30: Leith - The Sands Ch 31: Leith - The Harbour Ch 32: Memorabilia of the Shipping of Leith and its Maritime Affairs Ch 33: Leith - The Docks Ch 34: Inchkeith Ch 35: Newhaven Ch 36: Wardie, Trinity, and Granton Ch 37: The Environs of Edinburgh Ch 38: The Environs of Edinburgh (continued) Ch 39: The Environs of Edinburgh (continued) Ch 40: The Environs of Edinburgh (continued) Ch 41: The Environs of Edinburgh (continued) Ch 42: The Environs of Edinburgh (continued) Ch 43: The Environs of Edinburgh (concluded) General Index Contents List of Illustrations

3 44 OLD AND NEW? EDINBURGH. [Gilmerton. succeeding to the estate of Inverleith. Sir Francis, who entailed the Edinburgh estate of Gilmerton, died and March, I 747, and Sir James and Sir David succeeded in succession to Gilmerton, and died in 1795, at a place of the same name in Haddingtonshire. Sir Francis was Governor of the British Linen Company and Writer to the Privy Seal of Scotland. By his wife, Harriet Cockburn of Langton, he had five sons-Francis, his successor ; Archibald Kinloch Gordon, a major in the army, lunatic, and the title devolved upon his elder brother, who became Sir Francis, sixth baronet. The old Place of Gilmerton has long since been deserted by the family, which took up their residence at the house of the sa?me name in East Lothian. A mile south of the old mansion iS Gilmerton Grange, which had of old the name of Burndale, or Burntdale, from a tragic occurrence, which suggested to Scott his fine ballad of ?The Gray GILYERTON. who assumed that name on succeeding to an estate; David, who served under Cornwallis in the American War, in the 80th Regiment or Royal Edinburgh Volunteers; Alexander, Collector of Customs at Prestonpans; and John, whodied unmarried. Sir Francis survived his father by only a short time, as the ? Scottish Register ?I for the year I 796 records that he was killed by a pistol-shot in his forty-eighth year at Gilmerton, ?fired by his brother, Major Archibald Kinloch Gordon, who was brought under a strong guard to the Tolbooth of Edinburgh to take his trial.? This unfortunate man, who had been captain in the 65th in 1774, and major in the old 90th Regiment in 1779, was eventually proved to be a Brother.? The tradition, as related to him by John Clerk of Eldin, author of the ?Essay on Naval Tactics,? was as follows : When Gilmerton belonged to a baron named Heron, he had one daughter, eminent for her beauty. ?? This young lady was seduced,? says Sir Walter, ? by the Abbot of Newbattle, a richly endowed abbey upon the banks of the South Esk, now a seat of the Marquis of Lothian. Heron came to the knowledge of this circumstance, and learned also that the lovers carried on their intercourse by the connivance of the lady?s nurse, who lived at this house of Gilmerton Grange, or Burndale. He formed a resolution of bloody vengeance, undeterred by the supposed sanctity of the clerical

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