Edinburgh

Castlehill – North Side

The first building on the northern side of Castlehill is the Tartan Weaving Mill & Exhibition, which shows how tartan is woven and the history of Highland Dress through the Ages. This building was originally the reservoir for the Old Town until it was converted in 1992.

On the wall of the Tartan Weaving Mill, facing the castle is the Witches' Fountain, indicating the spot where over three hundred women were burnt, the last being in 1722, on charges of sorcery. The fountain was installed in 1894.

Rising up behind the mill is Ramsay Gardens, which face Princes Street and can be reached via Ramsay Lane, to the side of the mill. The houses were designed by Sir Patrick Geddes and built in the 1890s in an attempt to regenerate the Old Town. The eighteenth century poet Allan Ramsay lived in the oldest part of the building – the octagonal Goose Pie House, which was built around 1740.

On the other side of Ramsay Lane is the Outlook Tower. This building, which originally dates from the seventeenth century, had a further two storeys added and was fitted with a camera obscura in 1853. It has been one of Edinburgh's top tourist attractions since then, offering a unique panoramic view of Edinburgh and various exhibitions with a photographic theme including holograms and optical illusions.

Further down Castlehill is the Assembly Hall, which was used for the annual meeting of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. It is best seen from the northern entrance on Mound Place with the twin towers that are so prominent from the New Town. Since May 1999 this was also the home of the Scottish Parliament until its permanent accommodation became available. Access to the public gallery is available from Milne's Court at the western end of the Lawnmarket.

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