Underground Walking Tour

We did a wonderful tour of the now defunct vaults that lay beneath South Bridge in Edinburgh. Our tour leader, Fraser, was very engaging and knowledgeable with a lovely accent and handsome to boot.

We met in the middle of the Royal Mile and made our way down towards Cowgate (which is about 100 metres from our digs). On the way down we stopped at the Mercat Cross (Market Cross) where proclamations were made and 100’s of years ago people were executed (hanged, drowned, burnt or beheaded) and young boys who stole were nailed to the wooden door (they would tear their ear away to get away which is where the term “tear away” comes from). The actual top of the cross had been replaced with a unicorn which is the Scottish National animal, this mythical creature was chosen as it is the only animal that can beat the Lion (England’s national animal). We also passed through a close or wynd ( a narrow street that ran between the tall buildings.

We made our way down to the vaults that were intended to be storage rooms for the stores and businesses that ran along south bridge, but they leaked and were damp and mouldy and so were basically abandoned. The vaults then became a place for the homeless and down and out people of Edinburgh to seek refuge. It wasn’t long before criminals and basically bad people arrived and preyed on the weak and vulnerable who had come to the vaults to seek shelter. They set up illegal gambling dens, brothels and bars and police chose not to attend to calls from the vaults because of the risk of catching one of the many diseases and illnesses going around. It was very unhygienic because of the water and mould but also because there were no toilets and so people would go in the corner of the vault which would seep through the many levels of the vaults where people lived spreading disease. In 1996 the vaults were reopened for tours to be run at this time a coven of witches set up a place of worship in one of the vaults which operated until the head witch died in 2014. A punk band called the Stains also rehearsed in one of the larger vaults.

Following the tour we returned to the Royal mile for a bit of a wander, saw a bag pipe player and looked at some lovely tartan shops. We also walked over to the New Town to check out a jewellery store Katie had been told about.Leer más