Whitehorse Close, Royal Mile, Edinburgh

Category

Library Item

Item no

16400

Title

Whitehorse Close, Royal Mile, Edinburgh

Description

Whitehorse Close, Edinburgh is bathed in sunlight, which creates dark shadows in the foreground. The houses have pantile roofs and two sets of stairs lead up into the buildings. Many flower planters decorate the courtyard, in amongst which a lady dozes in a deck chair.

Artist / maker

Murphy, Bernard

Date

2006

Size

10.1 x 14.9 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

White Horse Close is located just off the Canongate close to Holyroodhouse. There is no evidence of the White Horse Inn ever having served as an Inn, although it does seem to have been built for this purpose. The Close may derive its name from having been the site of the palace stables. It may even be a specific reference to one of Mary Queen of Scot's horses. The date of the building's construction is unclear, as at least two different dates have been displayed on the window-head at various times.

The 'closes' of Edinburgh's Old Town are narrow passages branching off at right angles from the main streets. They provide access to the tenement buildings, and often to small shared courtyards. Many closes also act as shortcuts between Old Town's main streets.

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Related subjects

Homes > Residential buildings > Houses

People > Adults > Women

Places > Edinburgh areas > Canongate

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh