Edinburgh

Old Town

The original burgh of Edinburgh, the area referred to as the Old Town, was built around the narrow ridge that ran eastwards from the castle.

The Royal Mile, so called as it is just over a mile from the gates of the castle to those of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, was the main street in the Old Town and is now Edinburgh’s main tourist area. Edinburgh became a town and a royal burgh in the 12^th century and in 1329 Robert the Bruce granted a charter which gave the town jurisdiction over the Port of Leith to the north.

The burgh, which included the Grassmarket, Cowgate and Greyfriars areas to the south, was later enclosed within the Flodden Wall. This was built after the Battle of Flodden in 1513, in which James IV was killed, to protect Edinburgh from English invasion. Construction of the wall continued until the middle of the 16^th century, however the only effect it really had was to restrict the expansion of Edinburgh to the south.

As the population of Edinburgh grew so did the tenements that housed them - up the way instead of out the way. Part way down the Royal Mile was the Netherbow Port, one of the six ports (gates) into and out of Edinburgh. Through this gate was the separate burgh of Canongate, which was separate to Edinburgh from its formation in 1128 until 1636.

From 1628-36 an extension to the wall, known as the Telfer Wall, was built on the southwest corner of the existing wall. The walls were dismantled from the mid-17^th century, but parts of them remain: in Greyfriars kirk yard; the Grassmarket; and on the western side of the Pleasance.

In the valley to the north was the Nor’ Loch, where Princes Street Gardens and the railway line are now located. The loch was created in 1460, as James III wanted the ground to the north of the castle flooded to strengthen its defences; this was later drained again when plans were made for Edinburgh to be extended northwards with the creation of the New Town.

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