Canongate Tolbooth, Edinburgh Old Town
by Yvonne Johnstone
Title
Canongate Tolbooth, Edinburgh Old Town
Artist
Yvonne Johnstone
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
The Tolbooth is a reminder that at one time the Canongate was separate from the Royal Burgh of Edinburgh.
The Tolbooth was built in 1591 and would have formed the local hub for the Canongate burgh, along with the nearby Mercat Cross where merchants met and conducted their business. The Tolbooth would have had many functions, serving as courthouse, burgh jail and meeting place of the town council. The building was constructed for Sir Lewis Bellenden, the justice-clerk for the burgh, and his initials can still be seen over the archway to Tolbooth Wynd.
The tower over Tolbooth Wynd has small turrets added, known as ‘bartizans’ as well as gun loops to give a sense of ancient battlements.
The ground floor was used as a prison, mainly for those unable to pay fines, but on occasion it was used to hold people on behalf of the government. During the 17th century many captured Covenanters were held in the Canongate Tolbooth, accused of treason.
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November 27th, 2019
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