Sciennes Road near Summerhall

Category

Library Item

Item no

18119

Title

Sciennes Road near Summerhall

Artist / maker

Smith, John

Date

1927

Size

6.5 x 11 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

This is a photograph from the book 'Origin, nomenclature and location of various houses and streets in Edinburgh'.

Sciennes is an area in the south of Edinburgh adjacent to the Meadows. It takes its name from the Dominican convent established there in 1517 which was dedicated to Catherine of Siena. The convent was burned by English forces in 1544, and practically destroyed fourteen years later during the reformation. A few of the sisters stayed on for some years after this offering help to victims of the plague. Very little of the building survives today. Sciennes is famous as the location of the only recorded meeting between Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott. They were guests of Adam Ferguson at Sciennes Hill House in the winter of 1786-7. The remains of this house, and a plaque commemorating the meeting of these prominent literary figures can be found in Sciennes House Place.

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Related subjects

Architecture > Architectural features > Chimneys

Architecture > Architectural features > Doors and doorways

Architecture > Architectural features > Roofs

Architecture > Architectural features > Windows

Places > Edinburgh areas > Sciennes

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Transport > Infrastructure > Pavements

Transport > Infrastructure > Roads

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