House Histories Trail Welcome to House Histories Explore the Old and New Towns of World Assembly Rooms Heritage Site and discover 54 George Street the layers of history hidden behind the facades…. Museum of Edinburgh Well Court 142-146 Canongate The Old and the New Towns of Damside, Dean Village Edinburgh together comprise one Queen Street of the most beautiful cityscapes in North Bridge the world, inscribed by UNESCO George Street Be as a World Heritage Site in 1995. lls Brae Queensferry Street T

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The unique character of the city comes M o u from the striking contrast between the nd medieval Old and the Georgian New George IVHigh Bridge Street Town, with each area packed with many significant historic buildings.

Lothian Road By delving into the city’s historical records, it is possible to piece together Grassmarket some of the fascinating layers of history that lie hidden behind the facades.

On this trail you will discover… Where kings were entertained… Everyday life in the 1700’s and 1800’s… How the city’s heritage was saved by Riddle’s Court conservation pioneers. 322 Lawnmarket

Photography: Douglas Robertson Please respect owners privacy! Artwork: Jane Hyslop Where buildings are public the opening Historical Photographs courtesy times are given, otherwise the property of The Edinburgh Room, City of 5 Edinburgh Libraries is privately owned. Writers’ Museum www.capitalcollections.org.uk North Charlotte Square Lady Stair’s Close, Lawnmarket Some of the tenants listed are: Restoration From the early 1900’s - a Lord Adam Gordon there was increasing successful military officer, who public pressure to eventually became Commander save historic buildings in Chief of the army in on the Royal Mile. In and Governor of Edinburgh 1924 the city council Castle. In 1764 he toured the bought the building American colonies, was granted 20,000 and it was restored acres of land in East Florida, and had Lake by architect Frank Gordon named after him. Mears. He reused Museum of George Low, staymaker – at this time all wood panelling from women wore a set of stays, a kind of corset, demolished houses under their clothes. The work was skilled in the Cowgate, and Edinburgh and would have brought George painted ceiling beams into contact with rich clients, but from Pinkie House in staymakers never enjoyed the same Musselburgh. Look out for... Carved Stone Plaques status as male tailors. As one of the characters in Jane Austen’s The building was called the ‘speaking house’ by Inside, on the first novel Love and Friendship says: “… it one Edinburgh author because of the carved stone floor, you can see is generally believed that my Father plaques with the remains of the was a Staymaker of Edinburgh. This Latin inscriptions original house on is however of little consequence for as that decorate this site. Look out my Mother was certainly never married to him it the outside. for fireplaces and reflects no Dishonour on our Blood.” a gun loop to help defend the building. Ewan, letter carrier – letter carriers were like Original postmen, carrying and delivering letters by hand Doorway In 1762 the building throughout the city. Ewan would have been Go through was sold, and the part of relatively small team, only 6 letter the archway to surviving legal carriers were employed in 1781, Bakehouse Close documents give and they were paid 5s per week. The Building in 1857 and look to your The post office at this time was in us a fascinating The Museum of right. There you Parliament Square, next to the law snapshot of the Edinburgh is open to can see one of the courts. Delivering legal documents to mix of social the public: Monday- original doorways the city’s lawyers must have been a classes all living Saturday 10am-5pm into the building. large part of the job. under one roof. Admission free

1517 Three separate 1570 The three properties were 1647 Bought by the Incorporation of 1924 Bought by the properties on the converted into a single block, Hammermen of the Canongate city council to be site are bought by and the front of the building as an investment and a venue converted into the James Aitchison. extended 10 feet into the street. for meetings. city museum. In 1598 Riddle’s Court was used to host a royal banquet. The Duke of Holstein, brother-in-law to King James VI, was on an official visit and the city council wanted to host a banquet in his honour. As Edinburgh did not a have a grand town hall it was usual for the city officials to take turns in hosting important events in their own houses. The City Treasurers Accounts gives us an idea of the preparations.

Riddle’s Court Item payet to James Martein for foullis wylde and tame £212 18s 8d Item to James Heryot for V gallonis and ane quart of clairet wyn £21 Look out for... Item four trumpeteouris for their servive at the banquet £13 6s 8d Item payet for carrying the kingis and queenis Matjies veschellis The outside ‘Vivendo Discimus’ and other furnitour to the banquet and hame again 33s 4d staircase This Latin inscription above the archway means In the 1890’s ‘By Living We Learn’, and dates to the 1890’s when buildings either side Riddle’s Court became a student residence. of the passageway Restoration were demolished to From 1890 architects such as Stewart Henbest form a courtyard. A Capper and George Shaw Aitken reconstructed new staircase had to Riddle’s Court for Patrick Geddes as a University be put on the outside Hall. An elaborate painted ceiling showing the of the building buildings history was added to one of the rooms. to allow access The red sandstone archway was also created at between the first and this time. second floors. In 1947 Riddle’s Court was taken into the care of the City of Edinburgh Council, and in 1964 it was Painted landscapes opened as adult education rooms. It is now used When Riddle’s Court was being restored in the 1960’s a set of painted as the offices of the WEA (Workers Educational landscape panels dating to the early 1700’s was discovered. They were painted Association) Scotland. by James Norie a Scottish landscape painter. Today you can see the painted panels in the Museum of Scotland. Riddle’s Court in 1905

1590 Bailie John McMorran petitions the 1726 George Riddell a wealthy tradesman of the town 1751 The famous philosopher David Hume moves into an 1890 Part of the building became a council to demolish a ruined building reconstructs the parts of the building facing the apartment in Riddle’s Court, he tells a friend he is now student hall. on the site and build a new mansion Lawnmarket, and the property becomes known as head of a household with, “…two inferior members – for himself. Riddell’s Court. a maid and a cat.” Sir William Gray was a very successful merchant, and built a house for himself and his family in the city’s Lawnmarket. The house was located down one of the hundreds of narrow passageways known as closes.

A map of Edinburgh drawn in 1647 gives an idea of just how crowded that part of the city was.

Sir William Gray’s Writers’ Museum luck ran out during Drawing by Bruce.J.Home, 1895 the Civil War in the Look out for... 1640’s. He was fined Restoration and imprisoned in By the 1890’s, the Edinburgh Castle for building was in The Carved Stone Plaque his connections with very bad condition, Over the door is a plaque carved with the date royalists. Then in 1645 and was ready 1622 and the initials of Sir William Gray and his his daughter died of for demolition. It wife Geida Smith. the plague. was saved in 1893 when the house Sir William himself died was bought by Lord in 1648, but his wife Rosebery, a direct continued to live there descendant of Sir for many years. Eventually the close leading to the William Gray. The house became restoration was known as Lady The The Turret The Writers carried out by George Gray’s Close in This was added Museum is open Shaw Aitken, and Fireplace her honour. It kept during the restoration to the public: greatly altered the The main room on that name until of the building in building. Sections of the first floor has an the 1700’s when Monday - the 1890’s, at a the building on the impressive fireplace Lady Stair moved Saturday time when a style of north, south and west from the original into the house, 10am -5pm architecture called had to be demolished building. and the close was Admission free ‘Scottish baronial’ creating the house re-named after was very fashionable. we see today. her.

1622 The house is 1719 Elizabeth, Dowager 1893 Lord Rosebery buys the house 1907 The house was built by Sir Countess of Stair, buys the and the architect George Shaw gifted to the William Gray of building and the close and Aitken is commissioned to city for use as Pittendrum. house take on her name. restore the building. a museum. …the sudden rush of carriages, Restoration the roaring of coachmen, and The Assembly Rooms is still used as a venue for entertainment, and the impatient objurations of the during the Festival Fringe has Highland become a major venue in its own chairmen right. threatened more than once to shake the democracy from its propriety!” Naturally all the guests were wearing Queen Elizabeth II dances an eightsome reel Queen Elizabeth II dances an eightsome reel Ball in the Archers’ Company of the Royal at Scotsman publications Ltd. The Assembly © their most magnificent outfits: In August 1822 the But in 1970 the building also hosted Assembly Rooms “The ladies were richly bespangled, an important conference which hosted a glittering and had on plumes proved to be the turning point in Assembly Rooms royal event, the Peers of white ostrich saving Edinburgh’s Georgian New Ball, during the visit Town. Concern about its condition of King George IV feathers…their had been mounting, and a survey Look out for... to Edinburgh. An plumage in constant had been carried out by volunteers eyewitness called undulation, from the Edinburgh Architectural The Portico Thomas Mudie later Association. The grand entrance to the Assembly Rooms was wrote a book about appearing to the Speakers including John Betjeman added in 1817, as it was felt the Assembly Rooms the event, giving us eye like an ocean and the architect Sir Robert lacked splendour. a snapshot of the of foam”. Matthew called for urgent action events of that night. The Ball Room The men meanwhile had either opted to preserve what he described as “…one of the outstanding pieces of and Chandeliers The huge traffic jam for normal court dress, or tartan caused by guests which was newly fashionable during town planning on the heroic scale After another fundraising arriving by carriage, the king’s visit: in this or any other country.” As a campaign in 1796 ceiling and a large crowd of result the city council and central roses, Corinthian pilasters, sightseers created “…other noblemen and gentlemen government joined together to set drapes, mirrors and crystal chaotic scenes gaily disported themselves in the up a grant system for repairing chandeliers were installed in outside: historic buildings. the ballroom by John Baxter. mountain garb.”

1783 Assembly Rooms designed 1818 The grand 1843 A Music Hall is added to the 1907 New rooms and built by John and David entrance portico rear of the building, designed are added Henderson at a cost of £6,300 designed by architect by architects either side the from a public subscription. William Burn. and David Bryce. main building. “I was born on the 7th of May 1797 of a Sunday evening at No.5 N. side of Charlotte Square, Edinburgh, in my father’s own lately built house…” MEMOIRS OF A HIGHLAND LADY, BY ELIZABETH GRANT OF ROTHIEMURCHUS

The memoirs of Elizabeth Grant of Rothiemurchus are regarded as a classic of Scottish literature, and also give an insight into Georgian high society life. “On their marriage my parents settled in Edinburgh, ... where my father had purchased one of the only three houses then finished in Charlotte Square.” Her father was a lawyer and related to the chief of clan 5 Charlotte Square Grant, and heir to a vast estate in the Highlands. As a child, Elizabeth would have spent her days in the Look out for... nursery at the very top of the building. From her memoirs Decorative fanlight though it seems she was not particularly angelic.. A fanlight is a common “I have a recollection of at about this time beating a feature of Georgian houses, allowing light into the boy in a red jacket shutting up another in some cupboard, hallway behind. while I went about with his drum which he had refused me.” Clues in the Stonework A Trumpet in the Railings Restoration The stonework gives The trumpet shape in the railings was a clue about life In 1903 the Marquess of Bute bought The interiors were re-decorated used to snuff out the torches carried by inside the house. No.5 Charlotte Square with the in a sumptuous Adam style, with ‘link boys’ who would light your way home The rough stone intention of restoring it to match plasterwork ceilings and marble at night. ’s design. fireplaces. in the basement Charlotte Square in 1912 marks the servants During the Victorian period changing quarters. The first fashions had meant that Charlotte floor contained Square lost much of the classical grand reception symmetry of its original design. rooms, and the stone has a smooth Over the next 20 years No. 5 finish known as Charlotte Square was slowly brought ashlar. back to its Georgian appearance.

1793 The north side of the square 1871 The first floor windows were extended 1903 Restored by is built to the designs of the and changes made inside on the architect A. F. famous Scottish architect ground floor, where rooms had been Balfour Paul for Robert Adam. adapted for a dentists surgery. Lord Bute Well Court was commissioned in the Restoration 1880’s by Sir John Findlay, the owner of The In 2007 Edinburgh World Scotsman newspaper. He bought the land Heritage and the owners and had old tenements cleared away, to funded a major restoration allow his new housing to be built. of Well Court. Using only traditional materials, the An advertisement of the period described project has restored the Well Court as, “providing homes of two and building back to its original three rooms with conveniences, let to a appearance. respectable class of working men at rentals of £7 to £12 per annum.” A match for the distinctive red sandstone was found The census taken on the night of 5 April Well Court in a quarry in Dumfries, 1891 shows us some of the first residents and new handmade roof of Well Court. tiles were also carefully Look out for... sourced. Their colouring Clock Tower and irregular pattern forms NO. 5 WELL COURT an important part of the The clock tower rises above what once was the • William Burnett Head 46yrs character of the building. social hall. A possible source for the design of Original paintwork was the tower is the Earl’s Palace in Kirkwall, Orkney. Railway Guard still evident on the stair • Margaret Wife 39yrs windows, and this was • James Son 16yrs analysed to identify the The Font correct colour scheme for Bakers Apprentice the building. The font originally belonged to the nearby • William Son 14yrs Belford Church, built Blacksmith’s Apprentice 1888-1889, which was • Margaret Daughter 12yrs also designed by Sydney Mitchell. It was brought Scholar to Well Court following The Carved • Agnes Daughter 11months the church’s conversion • to the Belford Hostel. Plaques John Stott Lodger 46yrs The building has carved Sergeant of Police red sandstone plaques to commemorate its building.

1883 J.R. Findlay the owner of 2007 Work starts the Scotsman newspaper on a major commissions architect Sydney restoration of Mitchell to design Well Court. the building. For more House Histories visit www.ewht.org.uk • Listen to the podcasts • Get updates on events • Sign up for the monthly House Histories e-newsletter

5 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh, EH2 4DR Tel: 0131 220 7720 [email protected] www.ewht.org.uk

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