Edinburgh Day
On Sunday Joni and Fiona were both off work and we elected to have a visit to Edinburgh. When we arrived in the city it was quiet and parking in the car park on King's Stables Road. Once in Princes Street Gardens we had our first glimpse of Edinburgh Castle standing at the top of an extinct volcano.
The Ross Fountain
In the park there was a magnificent specimen of a Scottish thistle,
but even as we walked the rain began and so we ducked into the Royal Scottish Academy. Once the rain stopped we continued our walk along the next section of the park, passing the Scott Monument. This is a huge structure and it seemed incredible that any author could be worthy of such a memorial.
Wikipedia has the following description:
The tower is 200 feet 6 inches (61.11 m) high, and has a series of viewing decks reached by a series of narrow spiral staircases giving panoramic views of central Edinburgh and its surroundings. The highest viewing deck is reached by a total of 287 steps (those who climb the steps can obtain a certificate commemorating the event). It is built from Binny sandstone quarried in nearby Ecclesmachan. This oily stone was known to attract dirt quickly and was probably a deliberate choice to allow the Gothic form to quickly obtain the patina of age. Arguably the soot of Edinburgh's chimneys, in combination with smoke from the nearby railway line and Waverley Station perhaps over-egged the result, and it is now very hard to make out the numerous carved figures. Bill Bryson has described it as looking like a "gothic rocket ship'.
Once through the park we opted for the more gentle climb on to the 'Royal Mile'. Part way up we spied seagulls that thought the were need of some body piercing. There many historical buildings along the Mile and many attractions and outlets aimed at tourists.
Near the top we were about ready for a tea break, which we happened to take in an interesting cafe. The cafe was named after Deacon Brodie.
According to Wipedia "William Brodie (28 September 1741 – 1 October 1788), more commonly known by his prestigious title of Deacon Brodie, was a Scottish cabinet-maker,deacon of the trades guild and Edinburgh city councillor, who maintained a secret life as a burglar, partly for the thrill, and partly to fund his gambling. By day, Brodie was a respectable businessman, member of the burgh council and deacon (or president) of the Incorporation of Wrights and Masons. Part of his job in building cabinets was to install and repair their locks and other security mechanisms and repair door locks. He also served on a jury. He socialised with the gentry of Edinburgh, meeting poet Robert Burns and the painter Sir Henry Raeburn. He was also a member of The Edinburgh Cape Club.[1]
At night, however, Brodie became a burglar and thief. He used his daytime job as a way to gain knowledge about the security mechanisms of his clients and to copy their keys using wax impressions. As the foremost wright of the city, Brodie was asked to work in the homes of many of the richest members of Edinburgh society. He used the illicit money to maintain his second life, including five children, two mistresses who did not know of each other, and a gambling habit. He reputedly began his criminal career around 1768 when he copied keys to a bank door and stole £800. In 1786 he recruited a gang of three thieves, Brown, Smith and Ainslie.
The case that lead to Brodie's downfall began later in 1786 when he organised an armed raid on an Excise office in Chessel's Court on the Canongate. Brodie's plan failed and Ainslie was captured. Ainslie agreed to turn King's evidence, to avoid transportation, and informed on the rest of the gang. Brodie escaped to the Netherlands intending to flee to the United States but was arrested in Amsterdam and shipped back to Edinburgh for trial.
The trial started on 27 August 1788. At first there was no hard evidence against Brodie before the tools of his criminal trade were found in his house; copied keys, a disguise and pistols. The jury found Brodie and his henchman George Smith, a grocer, guilty. Smith was an English locksmith responsible for a number of thefts, even stealing the silver mace from the University of Edinburgh.
Brodie and Smith were hanged at the Tolbooth on 1 October 1788, using a gallows Brodie had designed and funded the year before. According to one tale, Brodie wore a steel collar and silver tube to prevent the hanging from being fatal. It was said that he had bribed the hangman to ignore it and arranged for his body to be removed quickly in the hope that he could later be revived. If so, the plan failed. Brodie was buried in an unmarked grave at the Parish Church in Buccleuch. However rumours of his being seen in Paris circulated later and gave the story of his scheme to evade death further publicity.
A little after we left the cafe my efforts to sort out my back pack gave rise to some hilarity. I also made the mistake of asking Fiona to hold my camera. Above is the result of this decision.
Here is my photographic nemesis at work in the castle. We had an informal competition to see who could take the best masterpiece without people in it. We could just about take pictures without people in them, but who knows what a masterpiece is.
This is certainly not a masterpiece. I really can't recall what the conversation was about, but I am sure that this Scottish guide was not interested in my tall fisherman's tale. If you look beyond the figures there is a glimpse of the magnificent views visible from the castle walls. It was impossible to see along the Royal Mile as the staging for the military tattoo was in place.
Once well into the castle we were ready to get down to the serious business of getting close to history. First Joni had to make sure that the cannons were properly lined up to demolish Bill Bryson's Gothic Space Ship.
Next Joni and Fiona had to find out what it felt like to be the Princes' in the tower.
Whoops! Wrong story - wrong tower.
This was followed later by a spell in the dungeons. In fact the castle was used to house prisoners of during the second world war.
After this it was time for Joni to do some guard duty. Later on I joined him. In the second picture I am the smart one in the pack-a-mac kilt and Joni is half way up the wall.
Once back on the Royal Mile we spied a kilt making mill. It was a vast warren of levels, paths and spaces. We looked to find our tartan and discovered that the McNorwood clan was wiped out at the dawn of time, or perhaps never existed.
Joni explored some steps and found that it was a good short cut back to the car. Notice the photographer and the couple posing.
At the bottom of the castle we spied a very brightly coloured bird. It seemed to have difficulty flying, but it does seem to have something in its beak.
A pair of helicopters ceremoniously escorted us over the Forth Bridge towards our evening meal at Nando's.
I am glad that we were warned about the curry strengths. I chose medium, which for me was a very pleasant flavour to go with the chicken and salad.
A nice evening sampling whiskey, eating more of my delicious birthday cake made by the fair Fiona and playing a board game. Was a good ending to a great weekend in Scotland. We are very grateful to Joni and Fiona for there hospitality and kindness and that they were could fun company to be with.
Finally don't use the SATNav to get home it takes you through Jeburgh to the A1. In future avoid Scots Corner. There is a more modern service station only a few mile north of it.
No comments:
Post a Comment