High School Wynd, Cowgate

Category

Library Item

Item no

9545

Title

High School Wynd, Cowgate

Description

A cart stands in a narrow street in Edinburgh's Old Town. There are buildings on both sides of the street and two external stone staircases. The cobbled street slopes downward to meet another street, there is a pavement on one side. A wooden ladder has been left in front of the cart. There is a street lamp attached to the wall on the left.

Artist / maker

Burns, Archibald

Date

1868

Size

10.7 x 8.4 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Despite living in the New Town, Robert Louis 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 buildings, dark closes and narrow wynds characteristic of the Old Town at this time.

High School Wynd is a short street linking Infirmary Street with the Cowgate. Edinburgh High School was built on what is now called Infirmary Street in 1578. The School moved to Regent Road in 1829, and stayed in those grand premises until moving to Barnton in 1969.

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Related subjects

Architecture > Architectural features > Stairways

Homes > Residential buildings > Houses

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Transport > Infrastructure > Street lights

Transport > Infrastructure > Streets

Transport > Land > Carts and wagons

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