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Post by neil6147 on Sept 16, 2006 0:23:28 GMT 10
Hello to you all.
I have just read this article and thought I would share it with you all.
The foundations of Edinburgh's 15th century jail, known as the Tolbooth, have been discovered by archaeologists on the Royal Mile. The Tolbooth has long been known to lie somewhere close to St Giles' Cathedral in the capital's old town but now its actual location has been discovered.
The 400-year-old building was demolished in 1817, having served as a council chamber and a squalid prison.
Among the notorious criminals imprisoned there was Deacon Brodie.
Work on the reconstruction of the road surface between George IV and North Bridge began in January this year.
The archaeological work involved radar surveys in the hope of locating historical buildings such as the Tolbooth and Tyne Gaol.
The £1.5m project is being undertaken to prevent further damage to the road and to avoid any future need for unplanned emergency repairs. The work will be completed by early 2007.
The Tollbooth building was demolished in 1817 to widen the road.
To mark the entrance to the jail, the now internationally recognisable Heart of Midlothian stones were laid.
When the road is relayed there will be copper setts to mark the location.
Particular significance
John Lawson, city archaeologist, said: "The Tolbooth is laden with history and being able to mark exactly where it lay is a significant step in charting Edinburgh's past.
"It's one of Scotland's iconic buildings and the scene of many dramatic events in Edinburgh's colourful history.
"Uncovering it gives us the opportunity to interpret the findings and preserve this important landmark."
Cllr Bob Cairns, Edinburgh Council streetscape leader, said: "It's tremendous the works to restore the Royal Mile setts have provided us with an opportunity to learn more about our city's past and preserve it for future generations.
"The discovery of the exact location of the Tolbooth is of particular significance on account of the important role it played in the city's history over the centuries."
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Elly
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Post by Elly on Sept 16, 2006 20:27:37 GMT 10
that great exciting news Neil, don't get much more infamous than that, i never knew that they didn't know the exact spot always imagined it to be marked with some sort of monument, thanks Neil #ssmile#
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Post by neil6147 on Sept 17, 2006 3:14:24 GMT 10
I have to agree with you on that one. But more to the point how many tourists have cross the road from St Giles Cathederal to the High Court or even towards Deacon Broadied Pub. If you did then you have walked straight over the very area of this historic find. Well we crossed the area many times during the Edinburgh Festival this year.
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Post by neil6147 on Sept 18, 2006 4:47:03 GMT 10
Hello again. We decided to take a drive over to Fife this afternoon. When we passed through South Queensferry they were holding what is called Dragon Boat Racing. This more like a wide canoe type boat holding approx 16 people complete with a dragons head and tail. Plus on board there is one person who steers the boat. Plus one drummer. The idea is to race over a 800 metre course against another boat in time to your boats drum. So the faster the drum beat the faster you row. Well I felt I just had to get some photos of this event which was for the Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland Charity. One of the boats gettting ready to turn round a stop on the start line. And the race has just started. Looking back from the jetty towards the main crowd. Crossing the finishing line. Each race lasts approx 1 minute at the most. But were getting faster this was only round three. Dry land here we come. This was one of the drummers. When we left South Queensferry they were just about to start round four. So we do not know who won this event. We then took a drive over the Forth Road bridge and even used the barnd new tolls for the first time. All I say is they are a big improvement on the old type. We stopped of at Dalgety Bay and took some photos looking south. The Forth Rail Bridge. And when i turned round the view was like this We then drove up to Aberdour and down to the sea front. They call this area the Silver Sands Looking from Aberdour to Arthur Seat in Edinburgh We hope you have enjoyed these unusual type of photos. Neil
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Post by neil6147 on Oct 23, 2006 5:34:02 GMT 10
Hello to you all. Christine myself and not forgetting Andrew went into Edinburgh this afternoon shopping. Whilst in Edinburgh we took Andrew along to St Margarert Loch in Holyrood Park to see the swans and the pink footed geese. Please do not try this if your reactions are slow We then took a short drive from here to an area of Edinburgh called Calton Hill. This lies to the east of the world famous Princes Street. And from this point you can look along Princes Street and over most of Edinburgh. Looking north towards the Island of May in the Firth of Forth. Also looking north over Edinburgh. You can see from this picture where Edinburgh got the name Smokey. Due to the amount of chimneys It was decided to put some grass etc on the roof of this building when were building it. This is on the the Omni Cinema complex. This is another building close by also with the garden effect. This is looking south looking along World famous Princes Street. Looking down on to Holyrood Palace The National Monument. This was to become a Scottish Equivalent of the Parthenon of Athens. But they ran out of Money and it was never finished. Some might say it is better this way some might say they should have finished it later. Or some might say it should knocked down. This is also known as the Disgrace of Edinburgh. Hope you have enjoyed this small tour from two locations in Edinburgh. Yes Jude if I had not had that silly problem with the car this was going to be the next stop for you and Steve. Neil
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EinNE
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Post by EinNE on Oct 23, 2006 8:13:11 GMT 10
Loved the pictures! Thanks so much for sharing!
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Post by andi on Oct 29, 2006 5:48:03 GMT 10
Always had good memories of Edinburgh. Such a lovely town and so attractive to tourists.
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Post by neil6147 on Nov 24, 2006 0:11:37 GMT 10
Festive lights to be switched on Thousands of people are expected to descend on East Princes Street Gardens and The Mound in Edinburgh for the Christmas Light Night on Thursday. More than 200,000 festive lights across the city centre will be switched on at 1800 GMT along with a firework display. The event will also mark the opening of the traditional German Christmas market, the ferris wheel and ice rink, organisers said. The Norwegian carol concert at St Giles Cathedral starts at 1900 GMT. Other highlights of the season of Christmas festivities in the city include a special nativity carol service at The Mound on Sunday 3 December. There will also be a Sata Weekend, including the Great Scottish Run in West Princes Street Gardens, on 9 and 10 December, and a free St Andrew's Day celebration on the Lawnmarket and in The Hub on 30 November. You can see some of the German Market from Camera number seven on www.haggishunt.com
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Post by neil6147 on Dec 5, 2006 5:35:19 GMT 10
Historic find in Edinburgh.
Experts in 'exciting' fort find Archaeologists believe the discovery of a 16th Century fort in Edinburgh is internationally significant. The remains are linked to the Siege of Leith in 1560 when a joint force of Scots and English soldiers challenged a French force holding the port.
The artillery battery that has been uncovered in Pilrig Park is said to be the only one of its kind ever uncovered in Britain.
The team also discovered a blacksmith's forge and pottery.
City archaeologist John Lawson said: "We're extremely excited about the results of our investigations.
"The remains are of international importance in terms of our understanding of Renaissance warfare as they are a unique example of 16th Century artillery siege works in the UK."
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Elly
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Post by Elly on Dec 5, 2006 12:44:48 GMT 10
Imagine that Neil, good news, can't say I have heard of Pilrig Park before though, thanks for the information #wave#
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Post by neil6147 on Dec 5, 2006 20:54:02 GMT 10
Hi Elly Pilrig Park lies North of the City centre and is also the location for the Mela festival after the Edinburgh festival. Plus I have found this article on the find which explains a little more.
PILRIG PARK is the last place you might expect to find the remains of a 16th-century English fort.
But a team of archaeologists knew exactly what they were looking for when they carried out a recent series of digs there.
And today the jubilant researchers revealed they had unearthed part of Somerset's Battery, an artillery fort from the 1560 Siege of Leith.
The remains are thought to be the only 16th-century siege works ever found in Britain, and archaeologists believe the discovery is of international importance in terms of military history.
The Siege of Leith led to the Treaty of Edinburgh, the eventual fall of the Catholic Church in Scotland and the end of the Franco-Scottish Alliance.
The port had been occupied by French troops who held out against a unique alliance of English and Scots soldiers by building a massive wall around it.
Somerset's Battery was one of two major forts, linked by a deep trench, that were built so the besiegers could fire their cannons on the French defences.
A five-strong team, including experts from the city council and Glasgow University, spent around a week in Pilrig Park last month, carrying out a series of digs near Pilrig House, which was known to have been built on top of remnants of the fort 80 years after the siege ended.
Along with the remains of the fort, the team uncovered a blacksmith's forge, the remains of another building and various pieces of pottery.
City archaeologist John Lawson said: "We're extremely excited about the results of our investigations. The remains are of international importance in terms of our understanding of Renaissance warfare as they are a unique example of 16th-century artillery siege works in the UK."
Tony Pollard, director of the centre for battlefield archaeology at Glasgow University, said: "The fortifications at Leith, which in the mid-1500s was occupied by the French, were based on the latest Italian design and were ten years in advance of anything else in the British Isles. The siege itself was the largest to take place in post-Medieval Britain until the Civil War period in the mid-1600s.
"With the massive growth of Leith and Edinburgh over the almost 450 years since the siege it seemed almost too much to hope that anything would survive. However, the excavations at Pilrig Park have unearthed elements of one of the most important artillery forts built by the besiegers, from where they fired their cannons against the town's walls."
Along with Somerset's Battery, the other fort built by the besiegers was Pelham's mount, at Hawk Hill, now part of Restalrig.
The facts
France sent thousands of men to Leith during the Anglo-French War of 1549-1550 to drive out an English garrison on Inchkeith.
The French troops remained for the next 12 years and expanded to other parts of the city, notably Little France. But by this time the people of Edinburgh had had enough and, led by the Protestant Lords of the Congregation, a force of 12,000 set out to clear the French from the walled fortification they had built - but to no avail. They turned to Queen Elizabeth of England, who sent a fleet and troops to reinforce the siege, which went on for more than a year.
It only ended in June 1560 with the death of the Queen Regent at Edinburgh Castle, which led to the Treaty of Edinburgh, under which the French agreed to go home.
For your reference the Litle France area of Edinburgh lies approx 1 mile south of Craigmillar Castle. Which is on the south side of Edinburgh.
I hope this might explain a little bit more to you all.
Neil
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Post by neil6147 on Jan 7, 2007 21:57:11 GMT 10
Town Crier Contest
A New event is being planned for the 31st March this year. We recon this event should be good to go and watch. Plus Christine has asked me send you all the information we have so far.
THEY were traditionally used hundreds of years ago to ring in the changes and inform citizens of important announcements.
Now town criers are to make a spectacular comeback in the heart of Edinburgh's historic Old Town.
For they are to get their own tournament which is expected to attract entrants from all over the world when it is held on the Royal Mile in spring.
Hundreds of spectators are expected to gather at the Mercat Cross to watch competitors from as far afield as Australia battle it out with their cries.
At least ten town criers are expected to take part in the Lord Provost's Invitational event, due to be held on March 31.
It is hoped the event will prove popular enough for it to become an annual fixture in the city calendar.
The idea is the brainchild of Dalkeith man John Smith, who has spearheaded efforts around Scotland to re-enact the old art of spreading news.
Mr Smith has a flamboyant outfit featuring a tricorn hat, cape and kilt which he wears on crier occasions, and carries a bell.
He said the criers and their escorts were expected to stage a parade along part of the Royal Mile in full ceremonial garb before the competition got under way.
Mr Smith said: "At the moment I know there are criers coming from Australia, Austria and Holland, who have the world champion, Rene Coupe. He has accepted an invitation to attend."
And he added: "There will be two half-hour sessions during the competition and prizes will be awarded for clarity, projection, content and the best costume." Mr Smith masterminded the staging of the first UK Town Criers Championships to be held north of the Border, when more than 30 criers descended on Kilwinning, Ayrshire, in 2002.
Mr Smith has led the Edinburgh Festival Cavalcade through the Capital in recent years, and he also led the 2002 Tartan Day parade, which featured more than 10,000 pipers, through the heart of New York.
He has joined forces with cavalcade organiser David Todd - a former manager of both the Queen's Hall and the Festival Theatre - to pull together the town criers' contest.
He added: "These events are held virtually every weekend in England, from the end of March until September, and they are hugely popular.
"I took part in the recent Lord Mayor's Invitational in Chester, which attracted 42 criers from 14 countries around the world.
"Although ten criers is a relatively small number for the Edinburgh event, it is only the first one, and I certainly hope it becomes an annual fixture if it generates the huge interest I expect it to. Town criers are generally loud, gregarious people, and I expect the crowds will find them pretty outrageous."
Mr Todd added: "John has been very successful leading the cavalcade in recent years, and I'm sure this event will be fantastic - particularly as people are travelling long distances to take part.
"Although events like this are common in England, they've never been held in Edinburgh before.
"All the town criers will actually be up on the Mercat Cross, and people will be able to gather round to watch them."
Lord Provost Lesley Hinds is expected to chair a panel of judges at the criers' event, with a collection planned to be held on the day in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Cllr Hinds said: "Historically town criers performed a vital function in our communities before the rise of newspapers.
"The invitational event will allow us to highlight the significant role that they played in Edinburgh's past and also celebrate the talents of dedicated modern-day criers."
When we get more information I shall submit it.
I shall be at this event with the camera so you can all see the pictures.
Neil
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