Edinburgh History

The Town Below the Ground: Edinburgh's Legendary Underground City People are fascinated by tales of fabled lost cities. Yet below Scotland's capital, hidden for almost two centuries, there lies a metropolis whose very existence was forgotten until recently. For almost 200 years Edinburgh was surrounded by a giant defensive wall. Unable to expand its boundaries, it became the most densely populated city in Europe. The towering tenements of the Royal Mile were a direct result of this massive overpopulation and, when the city buildings couldn't get any higher, people were forced to construct new edifices over what was already there. An underground slum developed which existed for over 350 years. Trapped in poverty and crime, these subterranean dwellers lived in darkness and misery, ignored by chroniclers of the time. Edinburgh's population came to believe that the underground city, out of sight and out of mind since its abandonment in the mid-19th century, had never been there at all. This work chronicles Edinburgh's secret city: its history and structure; its inhabitants and the lives they led; the story of its rediscovery; the amazing tales, both ancient and modern, that made it legendary; the areas where it existed; and where to find the parts that remain. Edinburgh History.

Edinburgh: The Golden Age Based on a range of sources - local newspapers and journals, published accounts of travels to Scotland, diaries, letters, and reminiscences - this work covers the social and literary history of Edinburgh from around 1760 until 1832, the year in which Sir Walter Scott died. It presents a picture of how Edinburgh and its inhabitants were seen at the time by visitors, and also shows how notable local figures saw their own city. The opinions of people such as Dorothy Wordsworth, Samuel Coleridge, Robert Southey, Thomas Carlyle, Francis Jeffrey, Sydney Smith, Thomas de Quincey, Walter Scott, David Hume and Percy Bysshe Shelley are all represented. Edinburgh History.

The Edinburgh Encyclopedia Alphabetically arranged, cross-referenced and indexed, the entries in this encyclopaedia set out in detail all aspects of Edinburgh, bringing together information and anecdotes from a wide range of sources. It looks at the city's history, social pastimes, institutions, buildings, monuments, media, industries, and people and events. Edinburgh History.

Ghostly Tales and Sinister Stories of Old Edinburgh This is a collection of over 100 tales of murder, ghosts and ghouls, body-snatching and witch-burning, which reveal the darker side of genteel Edinburgh's history. Included are the macabre exploits of the capital's infamous villains - Deacon Brodie, and Burke and Hare.

Curious Edinburgh (In Old Photographs S.) A guide to more than 100 of the curious and interesting corners of Edinburgh, "Curious Edinburgh" explores the hidden treasures of Scotland's capital city and unlocks the forgotten meaning of landmarks that have become familiar. It tells the reader how to find and understand the city's nooks and crannies, and includes information on the location of and access to all the sites covered. Symbols such as the Heart of Midlothian are revealed in all their detail, and neglected jewels such as Edinburgh University's St Cecilia's Hall are included. The book is illustrated with more than 120 modern and historic photographs and line drawings. Edinburgh History.

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