OS1/11/105/200

Continued entries/extra info

[Page] 200
129
Parish of the City of Edinburgh

[St Giles's Church continued]

"The place at present denominated the Parliament Close was anciently the Churchyard of St.
Giles, and the Common Cemetery of the town at the western end whereof stood the ministers or
incumbents houses; and the declivity on the Southern Side now called the BacK Stairs was the Lower
churchyard; at the foot of which in the Cowgate and neighbouring parts dwelt the ShoemaKers of
Edinburgh."
Maitlands Hist. Edinb. [History Edinburgh] Page 185

"It is probable that the church of St. Giles was founded previous to the year 854. It is distinctly
recognised in a charter of David II in 1359. It was at first simply a parish church of which the
Bishop of Lindesfarn was patron. To him the Abbot and Canons of Dunfermline succeeded in the patronage
and to these again the Town Council of Edinburgh. In 1466 it was erected into a Collegiate Church by James
III. The Chapter consisted of a provost, Curate, Sixteen prebendaries, a minister of the choir, four
choiristers, a sacristum and beadle. It contained no less than forty altars, dedicated to various saints and
erected by corporate bodies in the town and other inviduals. The Church is a Gothic Structure 206 feet in length by 110
feet in breadth. In the centre in a square tower, terminated by open stone work in the form of an imperial Crown. The
height of this tower and spire is 160 feet. At the reformation this church was spared at the request of the magistrates.
but all its trumpery, including the arm bone of St. Giles and its Silver Case were sold for the benifit of the corpo-
ration, and for remodelling the Church. Soon after this period the Church was divided into four separate places
of worship, and in 1585, the bell of the Abbey of Lindores was purchased for £55 Scots and placed in the spire." &c, &c,
See Stat. Acct. [Statistical Account] of Edinburghshire 1845 Page 658

Transcriber's notes

This Name Book refers to Edinburgh 1852 - Sheet 35
OS large scale Scottish town plans, 1847-1895 - Scale: 1:1056