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EdinburghLawnmarket – North SideOn the northern side of the Lawnmarket, where it meets Castlehill, is the entrance to Milne's Court, restored tenements that are now student residences, and James Court beyond, which was once one of Edinburgh's most fashionable addresses prior to the New Town being built. Back on the Lawnmarket is Gladstone's Land, which was a modest building built in 1550 and acquired by Thomas Gledstone in 1617. He converted it into a six-storey mansion and is believed to have lived on the third floor with his family – he would have rented the rest of the building to other merchants. The National Trust for Scotland purchased the building in 1934 and restored it to its 17th century state. Continuing east on the Lawnmarket, is the entrance to Lady Stair's Close in which stands Lady Stair's House. This townhouse was built in 1622 and was bought in 1719 by the widow of John Dalrymple, the first Earl of Stair, hence its present name. It now houses the Writers' Museum, which contains displays on Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson - including manuscripts, first editions, portraits and personal mementoes. Outside is Makars' Court, which has quotations from Scotland's most famous writers and poets are inscribed on the paving stones. Burns stayed in the house opposite the museum during his first trip to Edinburgh in 1786, which has since been demolished and rebuilt as Deacon Brodie's Tavern. Next is Wardrop’s Close where John Wardrop, mason, wright and burgess of the burgh, built a tenement in 1790. Before then, it was occupied by the Incorporation of Baxters (bakers) and was known then as Baxter's Close. The entrance has brackets carved as dragons and the close leads to Lady Stair's Close. On the other side of Bank Street is the High Court of Justiciary, Scotland's highest criminal court. Outside stands the statue of Hume, which was sculpted by Sandy Stoddart and completed in 1995. |
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