Architecture of The Old Town, Edinburgh: "White Horse Close, "Close in High Street," and "Candlemakers' Row" (1887?)

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Architecture of The Old Town, Edinburgh: "White Horse Close, "Close in High Street," and "Candlemakers' Row"

Picturesque Scotland: Its Romantic Scenes & Historical Associations Described in Lay and Legend, Song and Story

1887?

21.2 cm high by 12.8 cm wide (8 ¼ by 5 inches), page 162, framed

Old Town, Edinburgh

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Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham

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Commentary: Dr. Johnson visits Edinburgh, Scotland (1775)

We next went to the great church of St. Giles. . . . . It was now [published 1785] elegantly fitted up, but it was then shamefully dirty. Dr. Johnson said nothing at the time, but when we came to the great door of the Royal Infirmary, where upon a board was this inscription, 'Clean your feet!' he turned about slyly and said, 'There is no occasion for putting this at the doors of your churches.'

We then conducted him down the Post-house stairs, Parliament-close, and made him look up from the Cowgate to the highest building in Edinburgh (from which he had just descended), being thirteen floors or stones from the ground upon the back elevation; the front wall being built upon the edge of the hill and the back wall rising from the bottom of the hill several stories before it comes to a level with the front wall. ["From Castle to Palace," pp. 29-30]

Related Material

Bibliography

Watt, Francis M., and Andrew Carter. Picturesque Scotland: Its Romantic Scenes & Historical Associations Described in Lay and Legend, Song and Story. London: John M. Murdoch [1887?].

Created 7 June 2025