Cowgate showing Cardinal Beaton's house

Category

Library Item

Item no

3514

Title

Cowgate showing Cardinal Beaton's house

Description

A cobblestone road runs between two rows of housing in the Cowgate, Edinburgh. Cardinal Beaton's house stands on the corner. Chimney stacks are on top of the tiled roofs and washing dries from the windows.

Artist / maker

Keith, Thomas

Date

1856

Size

27.5 x 24.6 cm

Type

Paper negative

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Despite living in the New Town, Stevenson was well acquainted with the shabby charm of Edinburgh's Old Town. The author was known to frequent some of the less respectable establishments in this area, especially during his bohemian university days. This image reflects the tenements, dark closes and narrow wynds characteristic of the Old Town at this time.

Cardinal Beaton's House was situated at the corner of the Cowgate and Blackfriars Wynd, now Blackfriars Street. It was built around the start of the 16th century. By the 19th century the once grand house had become a dilapidated, overcrowded rented dwelling, reflecting a general change in the Cowgate's character. The building was taken down in 1874, along with many other buildings in the area, under the 1867 Improvement Act.

The Cowgate runs from its junction with St Mary's Street (formerly St Mary's Wynd) and the Pleasance to the Grassmarket. Cattle were driven along this route when entering Edinburgh from grazing land outside the city. The Cowgate Port was a gateway through the Flodden Wall situated at the street's east end.

The word cobble has been used here to help with searching, an alternative term is sett. Sett stones describe both the type of stone and the method in which they are used.

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Related subjects

Homes > Residential buildings > Houses

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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