Category archives: Uncategorized

The Earl of Argyll owned a house which stood in the courtyard of the Mint.

Originally situated close to Holyroodhouse the Mint was moved to Edinburgh Castle in 1559. It was moved again in 1574 to the Cowgate, where it operated until the Act of Union in 1707. The Mint was demolished under the civic improvement plan in 1877.

Todrick or Todrig’s Wynd connected the Cowgate to the High Street. The street was demolished under the civic improvement plan.

The house owned by Cardinal Beaton which dated back to the early sixteenth century was demolished in 1874 when the Cowgate was being cleared under the city improvement act. Many of the houses belonged to the upper class. When they moved to the New Town the interiors of the properties were divided by partitions and […]

The east side of the Cowgate was the first area to be redeveloped under the ‘City Improvement Act’ in 1868. An outschool attached to Heriot’s was built in the area when the condemned buildings were demolished.

The city’s officer for health Dr Littlejohn produced a report on the city which provided the basis for the civic improvement plan.

The Smith’s Land disaster resulted in William Chambers’ aim to demolish the condemned property in the centre of the city and build new streets and tenements. The civic improvement plan got under way when the publisher was elected Lord Provost of Edinburgh in 1865.

A tenement in the High Street known as Smith’s Land collapsed in November 1861. Thirty five men, women and children lost their lives in the disaster.

The Vennel connects Laurieston Place to the Grassmarket. The city wall can be seen on the right.

The cattle market lay at the west end of Laurieston Place. Middle Meadow walk can be seen on the left of the engraving. George Watson’s School was converted into the Royal Infirmary.