**a building on Canongate, trying to escape its restorations; Fall has arrived in Edinburgh; beautiful Autumn leaf in Holyrood Park.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Around Edinburgh
***from top: Indian in front of cigar store; tower of what I thought was a church but turned out to be a clinic--who knows what it used to be; castle from Candlemakers Row; St. Cuthbert in stained glass; David with his sling on way to meet Goliath--Tiffany stained glass from 1903.
St. Cuthbert's & Bow Well
from top: St. Cuthbert's Kirk; view of Castle from St. Cuthbert's graveyard; inside St. Cuthbert's; beautiful tile floor at entryway to St. Cuthbert's; Bow Well at Grassmarket.
Thursday, September 24--On my Own in Edinburgh--Labyrinth & LOTS of Walking
Well, this has been a day of MUCH walking. It was a day of dark clouds and threatening rain, but I perservered. First I went to Morrisons on the bus to have breakfast. Then I caught the 26 bus back to Abbeyhill and walked down and around to the Holyrood stop to catch the 35 bus. Got off at South Bridge and checked the mail and bought postcard stamps. Walked over to George IV Bridge—stopping on the way to buy a light book to read over the weekend at a thrift shop—then going to The Elephant House to drink a cup of hot chocolate in the back room looking out at the castle where JK Rowling wrote some of the Harry Potter books.
Back out and down the street to St. Giles cemetery to check out some of the older ones from the 16th century. Then I walked back out to George IV and down Bristo, left on Lothian, across Bristo square at the University of Edinburgh, right on Crichton and walked down to George Square where I found the Edinburgh Labyrinth. It was beautiful—made of stones with pebbles to walk upon. It is based on the Chartres Cathedral Labyrinth. I walked it slowly, reminding myself to slow my mind down, and it actually did relax me. And just as I finished and got to the center, the sun peeked out of the clouds for the first and only time today! I wish I had ones of these labyrinths in my backyard! I would walk it every day.
Retraced my steps back up to St. Giles then down Candlemaker Row to Cowgate (where they used to herd cattle thru the streets). Turned right to find the Magdalen Chapel and there it was, under the bridge, but the gate was locked!! I tried my best to unlock it but no good. It was supposed to be open from 9:30-4:00. Oh well, I walked on down Grassmarket to Kings Stable Road and turned in at St. Cuthbert’s cemetery. This is the old cemetery where Ray & I tried unsuccessfully to find the grave of one Jekyll the other day. The cemetery is overlooked by a watchtower erected after a spate of body-snatching by "resurrectionists". They would exhume fresh corpses to sell for £10 a piece to the medical school's anatomy department. Two residents, William Burke and William Hare, didn't even wait for people to die. They murdered students and the destitute then sold their bodies. A purse made of Burke's skin is held in the College of Surgeons as a grisly reminder of the fate awaiting anyone seeking unorthodox methods of upping the anatomy count.
The land lying immediately around the Church has been a place of Christian burial since the dawn of authemtic history, the brochure says. Only one stone—of Robert Pont—remains from earlier days. It is from 1606. The first intimation of a burying-ground was on a small hill known as the “Knowe” to the south-west of the church. Here grazed “nowt, horse and scheipe” until 1597 when a stone wall was built around it. In 1738, the walls were raised to 8 ft. because of graverobbing. There is also a tower that was built in 1740 to keep an eye on the graves. The practice of graverobbing ceased around 1835 due to a change in the law governing the donation of bodies to medical science. The only person I recognize on the list of graves is Thomas de Quincey (1785-1859), author of “Confessions of an Opium Eater.” No Jekyll on the list anywhere.
I walked up to the Church, known as “the Kirk below the Castle,” but there was a sign saying the church was closed for the morning. What was going on here?!?! Oh well, I turned and climbed the stairs to Lothian Road and walked down to Paper Tiger where I bought some birthday cards. Still no Halloween cards out. Walked back down King Stables Road and decided to try once more, ignoring the closed sign this time and just walking in. Ran into the guy who was opening up the gift shop and he said it had been closed and was about to open in 30 minutes, but that I could go on in if I wanted to. I sat in the quiet of the church for 30 minutes or so. This present church building, completed in 1894, is the 7th one on this site. It retains the steeple of the 18th century building and is noted for the beautiful marble decoration in the chancel and for its stained glass. It boasts one of the few genuine Tiffany windows in Scotland. St. Cuthbert, the 7th century Border Shepherd who became a monk is reputed to have pitched his tent in the sheltered hollow below Edinburgh Castle Rock. This is the church where Agatha Christie was married.
I bought some postcards and talked to the nice man again. I noticed the lovely tile flooring mosaic in the hallway and he was very impressed that I asked about it. He said most people don’t even notice it and he thinks it is very nice, too.
Walked—yes, my feet were getting tired by this time—back down Kings Stable Road thru Grassmarket. Ran across the Bow Well at the foot of West Bow, situated at the foot of Victoria Street. This was the first of the well heads built to supply water to the Grassmarket from the reservoir at Castle Hill (Now the Tartan Weaving Mill). It was designed by Robert Milne and was built in 1671.
While in the area, I went back by Magdalen Chapel again. Figured it couldn’t hurt. I’d had luck with my second try at St. Cuthbert’s. From a distance, I could see that the gate was now open, so I hurried my steps in excitement and went thru the gate—and found the heavy wooden doors locked. Believe me, I tried my best to get that door to open to no avail. Went across the street to what looked like another church with a tall tower, but it turned out to be a clinic with a huge sign on the door that said, “If you think you have Swine Flu, do NOT come in.” (There is a program here to provide Tamiflu to those who get the flu without exposing others in a doctor’s office. Very smart.) So I gave up and walked back up Candlemakers Row and turned left over George IV Bridge and right on the Royal Mile. Walked down to Bella Italia and got a table for one and order my salmon. Felt so good to just sit!!
After lunch, I walked down towards Holyrood, stopping at shops to look around. There was even an American Indian statue standing in front of the cigar store! I found that funny as I don’t believe there were ever Indians in Scotland unless I am mistaken. Ragamuffin, Heritage of Scotland—where a little old lady had just taken a fall into the store and was quite shaken. Her husband was being so very nice to her as she sat there almost in tears. I made her laugh by telling her my story of falling UP the Old Man of Storr. Historic Connections stop for postcards then into the Fudge House for a block of Chocolate with Walnuts fudge which I plan to have for dessert tonight. Yum. It had a sign out front saying that their family had been making fudge here since 1949. Every chunk of fudge is made by hand in their shop, and there were nearly thirty flavors to tempt me, from classic vanilla to rich dark chocolate. They had a sign saying that they use only the best ingredients – fresh cream and butter, caramelized sugar and natural flavorings. Double Yum!
Waited for the 35 bus at Canongate Kirk and noticed a building across the street that had been covered with a brick-red color of stucco and in one place way up high, it looked like the older façade of the building was trying to come back through.
Got off the bus before the railway bridge and walked home thru Holyrood Park, noticing the first of the changing of the leaves. So pretty. Altogether a very productive day.
Lots of pictures today!
***pictures from top: back room of Elephant House Cafe; Castle from back room of cafe; Edinburgh Labyrinth; Magdalen Chapel; Edinburgh Castle from Grassmarket.
Back out and down the street to St. Giles cemetery to check out some of the older ones from the 16th century. Then I walked back out to George IV and down Bristo, left on Lothian, across Bristo square at the University of Edinburgh, right on Crichton and walked down to George Square where I found the Edinburgh Labyrinth. It was beautiful—made of stones with pebbles to walk upon. It is based on the Chartres Cathedral Labyrinth. I walked it slowly, reminding myself to slow my mind down, and it actually did relax me. And just as I finished and got to the center, the sun peeked out of the clouds for the first and only time today! I wish I had ones of these labyrinths in my backyard! I would walk it every day.
Retraced my steps back up to St. Giles then down Candlemaker Row to Cowgate (where they used to herd cattle thru the streets). Turned right to find the Magdalen Chapel and there it was, under the bridge, but the gate was locked!! I tried my best to unlock it but no good. It was supposed to be open from 9:30-4:00. Oh well, I walked on down Grassmarket to Kings Stable Road and turned in at St. Cuthbert’s cemetery. This is the old cemetery where Ray & I tried unsuccessfully to find the grave of one Jekyll the other day. The cemetery is overlooked by a watchtower erected after a spate of body-snatching by "resurrectionists". They would exhume fresh corpses to sell for £10 a piece to the medical school's anatomy department. Two residents, William Burke and William Hare, didn't even wait for people to die. They murdered students and the destitute then sold their bodies. A purse made of Burke's skin is held in the College of Surgeons as a grisly reminder of the fate awaiting anyone seeking unorthodox methods of upping the anatomy count.
The land lying immediately around the Church has been a place of Christian burial since the dawn of authemtic history, the brochure says. Only one stone—of Robert Pont—remains from earlier days. It is from 1606. The first intimation of a burying-ground was on a small hill known as the “Knowe” to the south-west of the church. Here grazed “nowt, horse and scheipe” until 1597 when a stone wall was built around it. In 1738, the walls were raised to 8 ft. because of graverobbing. There is also a tower that was built in 1740 to keep an eye on the graves. The practice of graverobbing ceased around 1835 due to a change in the law governing the donation of bodies to medical science. The only person I recognize on the list of graves is Thomas de Quincey (1785-1859), author of “Confessions of an Opium Eater.” No Jekyll on the list anywhere.
I walked up to the Church, known as “the Kirk below the Castle,” but there was a sign saying the church was closed for the morning. What was going on here?!?! Oh well, I turned and climbed the stairs to Lothian Road and walked down to Paper Tiger where I bought some birthday cards. Still no Halloween cards out. Walked back down King Stables Road and decided to try once more, ignoring the closed sign this time and just walking in. Ran into the guy who was opening up the gift shop and he said it had been closed and was about to open in 30 minutes, but that I could go on in if I wanted to. I sat in the quiet of the church for 30 minutes or so. This present church building, completed in 1894, is the 7th one on this site. It retains the steeple of the 18th century building and is noted for the beautiful marble decoration in the chancel and for its stained glass. It boasts one of the few genuine Tiffany windows in Scotland. St. Cuthbert, the 7th century Border Shepherd who became a monk is reputed to have pitched his tent in the sheltered hollow below Edinburgh Castle Rock. This is the church where Agatha Christie was married.
I bought some postcards and talked to the nice man again. I noticed the lovely tile flooring mosaic in the hallway and he was very impressed that I asked about it. He said most people don’t even notice it and he thinks it is very nice, too.
Walked—yes, my feet were getting tired by this time—back down Kings Stable Road thru Grassmarket. Ran across the Bow Well at the foot of West Bow, situated at the foot of Victoria Street. This was the first of the well heads built to supply water to the Grassmarket from the reservoir at Castle Hill (Now the Tartan Weaving Mill). It was designed by Robert Milne and was built in 1671.
While in the area, I went back by Magdalen Chapel again. Figured it couldn’t hurt. I’d had luck with my second try at St. Cuthbert’s. From a distance, I could see that the gate was now open, so I hurried my steps in excitement and went thru the gate—and found the heavy wooden doors locked. Believe me, I tried my best to get that door to open to no avail. Went across the street to what looked like another church with a tall tower, but it turned out to be a clinic with a huge sign on the door that said, “If you think you have Swine Flu, do NOT come in.” (There is a program here to provide Tamiflu to those who get the flu without exposing others in a doctor’s office. Very smart.) So I gave up and walked back up Candlemakers Row and turned left over George IV Bridge and right on the Royal Mile. Walked down to Bella Italia and got a table for one and order my salmon. Felt so good to just sit!!
After lunch, I walked down towards Holyrood, stopping at shops to look around. There was even an American Indian statue standing in front of the cigar store! I found that funny as I don’t believe there were ever Indians in Scotland unless I am mistaken. Ragamuffin, Heritage of Scotland—where a little old lady had just taken a fall into the store and was quite shaken. Her husband was being so very nice to her as she sat there almost in tears. I made her laugh by telling her my story of falling UP the Old Man of Storr. Historic Connections stop for postcards then into the Fudge House for a block of Chocolate with Walnuts fudge which I plan to have for dessert tonight. Yum. It had a sign out front saying that their family had been making fudge here since 1949. Every chunk of fudge is made by hand in their shop, and there were nearly thirty flavors to tempt me, from classic vanilla to rich dark chocolate. They had a sign saying that they use only the best ingredients – fresh cream and butter, caramelized sugar and natural flavorings. Double Yum!
Waited for the 35 bus at Canongate Kirk and noticed a building across the street that had been covered with a brick-red color of stucco and in one place way up high, it looked like the older façade of the building was trying to come back through.
Got off the bus before the railway bridge and walked home thru Holyrood Park, noticing the first of the changing of the leaves. So pretty. Altogether a very productive day.
Lots of pictures today!
***pictures from top: back room of Elephant House Cafe; Castle from back room of cafe; Edinburgh Labyrinth; Magdalen Chapel; Edinburgh Castle from Grassmarket.
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