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Home , Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh Castle, George IV Bridge, Holyrood Abbey, John Knox House, Mercat cross

Walking from IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF the Palace of Holyroodhouse to MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS

IN THE 1 EDI L 56 NBURGH’S ROYA 0s

10 – 8 Now carefully over to the ESPLANADE, WITCHES’ WELL 10 right-hand side of the road for No. 9. Find the witches’ well (on your right just as you enter the 8 – RIDDLE’S COURT esplanade with the Castle in front Riddle’s Court was built in the 1590s by a of you) wealthy merchant. Go inside. Why do you During the , more witch burnings think it was built off the main street? took place here than anywhere else in Aristocratic people would rent rooms EDINBURGH CASTLE the country. here when they visited Edinburgh. It was also used as a meeting place and Mary’s son, James VI, even attended a lavish 10 banquet here.

Ramsey Gardens

Find the plaque at parking spot 23. Johnstone Terrace 9 – GLADSTONE’S LAND What does it say? This car park was 7 This building belonged to a prosperous 9 once the cathedral’s graveyard. merchant. What do you think the The plaque marks ’s grave. different floors were used for? The bottom was a shop and also home Walk around the right-hand side of the to some smellier residents: pigs! The first

Cathedral, into the car park. Watch out 8 9 floor was a very grand apartment – only for cars! wealthy people like duchesses, priests and merchants lived here. 7 – ST. GILES CATHEDRAL Can you find a heart shape in the cobbles outside the Cathedral? George IV Bridge Now carefully cross over to the left-hand This area used to be a side of the road at Tron and keep (a court and prison) – the heart marks walking up to find No. 5. the location of the cell where prisoners would await execution. 6 4 7 4 – Look for four wooden panels on the 6 – SITE OF THE LUCKENBOOTHS 6 side of the house. Can you find images In Mary’s time, wooden shops known of Mary and John Knox? as luckenbooths stood here. 5 This is one of the oldest houses in Imagine what sights, sounds and smells Edinburgh and some say John Knox you would experience during Mary’s time. once lived here. It was also home to This would have been a very noisy and James Mossman, Mary’s goldsmith and bustling place. keeper of the royal mint (where coins South Bridge North Bridge were made).

5 – THE 4 Now carefully cross over to the left-hand side of the road for No.3. 5 The Mercat Cross showed that 2 Edinburgh had the right to hold a regular 3 market. It was also the site of public executions and formal proclamations 2 – AND (like the announcement of a new king). DAVID RIZZIO’S GRAVE In Mary’s time, the Cross stood a little Find the plaque said to mark David further down the street. St Mary’s Street Jeffrey Street Rizzio’s grave on the outside of the Can you find the cobbles marking the right wall of the church. Why do you original site a few metres downhill? think the gravestone is so plain? David’s original grave was under the doorway at Abbey – meaning 2 it was often stood on. Mary was furious Use the traffic lights by The World’s End about this and ordered his body to be to carefully cross to the right-hand side moved. 3 of the road. 1 1 START HERE 3 – THE WORLD’S END PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE Find a pub called The World’s End. Why do you think it’s called that? 1 – WHITEHORSE CLOSE Mary kept something very precious This area became known as World’s End here, what do you think it was? because it separated Hint: the clue is in the name! (the lower ) from the city of Edinburgh. In Mary’s time there was a This was the site of the Royal Mews here and heads of executed (stables) in Mary’s time. It was named prisoners were sometimes displayed in honour of Mary’s white horse who

on its gate. lived here. Apart Copyright from Edinburgh HES. Castle © Crown / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019. Trust Collection Royal All images: Walking from IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS Holyroodhouse

IN THE 1 EDI L MILE 56 NBURGH’S ROYA 0s

10 – WHITEHORSE CLOSE Now carefully cross over to the 10 Mary kept something very precious left-hand side of the road for No. 9. 8 here, what do you think it was? Hint: the clue is in the name! 8 – THE WORLD’S END This was the site of the Royal Mews (stables) in Mary’s time. It was named Find a pub called The World’s End. in honour of Mary’s white horse who Why do you think it’s called that? lived here. This area became known as World’s End PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE because it separated the Canongate (the lower Royal Mile) from the city of Edinburgh. In Mary’s time there was a gatehouse here 10 and heads of executed prisoners were sometimes displayed on its gate.

When you reach the crossroads by the 9 – CANONGATE KIRK AND 9 , cross carefully over to the DAVID RIZZIO’S GRAVE 9 right-hand side of the road for No. 7. 6 Find the plaque said to mark David Rizzio’s grave on the outside of the right wall of the church. Why do you 6 – THE MERCAT CROSS think the gravestone is so plain? The Mercat Cross showed that Edinburgh David’s original grave was under the Jeffrey Street St Mary’s Street had the right to hold a regular market. doorway at – meaning It was also the site of public executions it was often stood on. Mary was furious 8 and formal proclamations (like the about this and ordered his body to be announcement of a new king). moved. In Mary’s time, the Cross stood a little further down the street. Can you find the cobbles marking the original site a few metres downhill? Now carefully cross over to the right-hand side of the road for No. 8. 7 7 5

7 – JOHN KNOX HOUSE North Bridge South Bridge 5 – SITE OF THE LUCKENBOOTHS Look for four wooden panels on the In Mary’s time, wooden shops known as side of the house. Can you find images luckenbooths stood here. of Mary and John Knox? Imagine what sights, sounds and smells This is one of the oldest houses in you would experience during Mary’s time. Edinburgh and some say John Knox 6 This would have been a very noisy and once lived here. It was also home to bustling place. James Mossman, Mary’s goldsmith and 5 keeper of the royal mint (where coins were made). 4

Find the plaque at parking spot 23. 2 Cross to the right-hand side of the What does it say? This car park was 4 Royal Mile and stop opposite once the cathedral’s graveyard. Gladstone’s Land for No. 3. The Mound George IV Bridge The plaque marks John Knox’s grave.

Walk around the right-hand side of the

Cathedral, into the car park. Watch out 2 – GLADSTONE’S LAND for cars! This building belonged to a prosperous 2 3 merchant. What do you think the different floors were used for? 4 – ST. GILES CATHEDRAL Can you find a heart shape in the The bottom was a shop and also home Johnstone Terrace cobbles outside the Cathedral? to some smellier residents: pigs! The first Ramsey Gardens floor was a very grand apartment – only This area used to be a tolbooth wealthy people like duchesses, priests (a court and prison) – the heart marks and merchants lived here. the location of the cell where prisoners would await execution. 1 3 1 START HERE EDINBURGH CASTLE 3 – RIDDLE’S COURT 1 – EDINBURGH CASTLE Riddle’s Court was built in the 1590s by ESPLANADE, WITCHES’ WELL a wealthy merchant. Go inside. Why do Find the witches’ well at the you think it was built off the main street? Royal Mile end of the Esplanade Aristocratic people would rent rooms (on your left with the Castle behind you) here when they visited Edinburgh. It was During the 1500s, more witch burnings also used as a meeting place and Mary’s took place here than anywhere else in son, James VI, even attended a lavish the country. banquet here.