Castle from the Cowgate

Category

Library Item

Item no

1868

Title

Castle from the Cowgate

Description

Edinburgh Castle surrounded by a defensive wall sits on a rocky outcrop. Watchtowers are positioned along the battlements, including the Esplanade. A flagpole rises up from a tower. At the bottom of the sloped ground below the Castle is the Grassmarket. There is a car parked in the Grassmarket. People are walking along the pavement whilst others are sitting on steps. A shop has a canopy open over its front window. Across the cityscape are many roofs and lums.

Artist / maker

Malcolm, George

Date

1930

Size

16.7 x 25 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Edinburgh Castle is perhaps the city's most famous landmark. It stands on top of the remaining core of an extinct volcano. Excavations suggest the site was inhabited by Bronze Age man as early as 900 BC, and was fortified by Iron Age man roughly 2000 years ago. The oldest part of the present day Castle is St Margaret's Chapel, built in the early 12th century. The Castle holds the Honours of Scotland and more recently has welcomed back the Stone of Scone otherwise known as the Stone of Destiny.

The Cowgate runs from its junction with St Mary's Street (formerly St Mary's Wynd) and the Pleasance to the Grassmarket. It was the route by which cattle were driven into town from outside Edinburgh. The Cowgate Port was a gateway through the Flodden wall (City Wall).

The Grassmarket is a central area situated below Edinburgh Castle. A weekly market was held there from 1477 until 1911. The area continues to be a popular area for socialising. The Grassmarket was also the site of many public executions.

Reproduced with kind permission of the Edinburgh Photographic Society

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Related subjects

Homes > Residential buildings > Castles and palaces

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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