Castle from the Vennel

Category

Library Item

Item no

3527

Title

Castle from the Vennel

Description

A row of houses lies at the foot of the Castle Rock. Part of Edinburgh Castle including the barracks can be seen on top of the rocky outcrop. The houses have pantile roofs.

Artist / maker

Keith, Thomas

Date

1856

Size

28.2 x 24.8 cm

Type

Paper negative

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

This image is not from what would usually be regarded as the Vennel.

The Vennel is a narrow street in Edinburgh leading from West Port near the Grassmarket to Heriot Place near George Heriot's School. 'Vennel' is a Scots word meaning 'steep lane'.

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.

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Related subjects

Homes > Residential buildings > Castles and palaces

Homes > Residential buildings > Houses

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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