Quayside Street, Showing St Ninian's Chapel

Category

Library Item

Item no

30692

Title

View looking down Quayside Street from Sandport Place, showing St Ninian's Chapel

Artist / maker

MacLean, Kevin

Date

2013

Type

Digital image

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Quayside Street is situated a short distance to the south of Commercial Street in Leith. Before 1966 it was known as Church Street, and before 1890 as St Ninian's Lane. Earlier still the street was called St Ninian's Wynd.

St Ninian's Chapel was established in 1493 by Robert Ballantyne, Abbot of Holyrood. He arranged for it to be served by two chaplains who would be supported by tolls from the bridge and rents from some property. The Chapel was almost certainly in ruins after the English raids in 1544 and 1547. After the Reformation (1560) the people of North Leith gained possession of the chapel and rebuilt it. In 1609 the parish of North Leith was created and the old chapel became the Parish Church.

In the late 17th century the church was rebuilt and extended. The distinctive Dutch style steeple, which bears the date 1675, was added then. Inside there was a gallery round three sides of the church and it was decorated with the emblems of the Trades Incorporations of North Leith. It was probably at this time that a flagstone floor was installed - previously most churches had bare earth floors and important people were buried under the church floor.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries the population of North Leith expanded and the church became too small for the congregation. In 1996, the old manse and belfry and the adjacent Quayside Mills were acquired by the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust who restored the buildings turning them into desirable waterfront accommodation and office space.
Find out more about St Ninian's Chapel from Leith Local History Society.

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Quayside Street, showing St Ninian's Chapel