Somerville's Land, Castlehill

Category

Library Item

Item no

3533

Title

Somerville's Land, Castlehill

Description

Tenement housing sits above shops in the Old Town in Edinburgh. Advertising posters are on a wall and the shops have signs above their premises.

Artist / maker

Keith, Thomas

Date

1856

Size

27.5 x 25.8 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.

Sommerville's Land was a timber-fronted building on the north side of Castlehill. It was demolished in 1883 during extensions to what is now known as Assembly Hall.

Castlehill is the section of the Royal Mile running from Castle Esplanade to the Lawnmarket in Edinburgh.

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Related subjects

Business > Service industry > Shops

Homes > Residential buildings > Tenements

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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