Edinburgh

High Street

The High Street is the last part of the Royal Mile that was within the old burgh of Edinburgh. At the western end is Parliament Square with St. Giles’ Cathedral dominating the view at this point.

Just over half way down the bridges bisect the High Street. North Bridge was originally built in 1772 to connect the burgh with the Port of Leith to the north; it was widened in 1876 and then rebuilt the following year. South Bridge was built in the 1780s and crosses the Cowgate, offering better access to the burgh from the south.

At the eastern end of the High Street, at the junction with Jeffrey Street and St. Mary’s Street, is the former location of the Netherbow Port. This was the principal gateway into the burgh of Edinburgh from the separate burgh of Canongate; it was demolished in 1764, but the location of the gate is marked on the road with brass plates. The heads of executed prisoners from the Old Tolbooth were often displayed on spikes of the gate as a deterrent to would-be criminals.

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