Part of buildings erected at Leith by Mary of Loraine

Category

Library Item

Item no

1136

Title

Part of the buildings erected at Leith by Mary of Loraine, Queen of James V, for her own use.

Description

A doorway within the picture is dated 1615, but the building must date from c.1550.

Artist / maker

Skene, James

Date

1824

Size

18 X 24 cm.

Type

Watercolour

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Between 1545 and 1560, Mary of Guise, widow of James V and mother of Mary Queen of Scots, established a fortified stronghold in Leith. James Skene records that she purchased the superiority of Leith from Logan of Restlarig "and established the residence there while at variance with the Scottish nobility"(1) . This was a period of prolonged civil war - a Catholic Regent Mary at odds with the protestant Lords Commissioners. No trace remains of the fortifications, most likely earthen ramparts, which encircled Leith. According to the 18th century historian William Maitland, Mary erected a dwelling house on the corner of Quality Street Wynd in Rotten Row, but when the house was rebuilt, the Scottish arms were added to the wall of a house on the southern side of a street, where Mary erected a handsome council chamber for her Privy Council to meet (2).

(1) Skene, James, Reekiana,1836, 170
(2) Maitland, William, A History of Edinburgh, 1753, 496

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Related subjects

Architecture > Architectural features > Windows

Homes > Residential buildings > Houses

Homes > Residential buildings > Tenements

People > Adults > Women

Places > Edinburgh areas > Leith

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Transport > Infrastructure > Streets

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