City of Stories

Edinburgh-city of Kings and Criminals, Authors and Adventurers. It is very much a modern city with a history that will not be forgotten.

Sir Walter Scott monument

If my friends who love literature visited Edinburgh I am not sure they would ever leave. This is truly a city of stories and storytellers. It is in fact UNESCO’s first city of Literature http://www.cityofliterature.com/the-literary-city/read/edinburgh-city-literature-starter-10/10-edinburgh-literary-statues/ Statues and monuments are located throughout the city to honor authors such writers as Arthur Conan Doyle, as well as writers of philosophy and economics David Hume and Adam Smith. Although she does not yet have a statue, the Elephant House one of the pubs where J.K.Rowlings penned her Harry Potter books has a large sign proclaiming it to be the “Birthplace of Harry Potter”.

A small museum off the the Royal Mile-the main drag of the old city- The Writers Museum celebrates the work of three of Edinburgh's famous sons; Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson and Robert Burns. https://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/venue/writers-museum It is located in a house in Lady Stairs Close. Lady Stair and her family are believed to be part of the inspiration for Scott’s novel, Bride of Lammermore.

A visit to Grassmarket provides plenty of other inspiration for tales to be told. From Half Hangit Maggie http://www.the-grassmarket.com/history/maggie-dickson.html to the collection of cadaver “volunteers” at the White Hart Inn The colorful history of this part of town will inspire anyone. Pull up a seat at the Last Drop Pub, across the square from the gallows ( I love a good pun ) and learn about some of the infamous citizens of Edinburgh including serial killers Burke and Hare http://www.scotshistoryonline.co.uk/burke.html and the real Jekyll and Hyde, Deacon Brodie http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-31018496.

Site of the Gallows

Stories of “Murder Most Foul” are not confined to the poorer sections of town. At Holyroodhouse Palace, the official residence of the British Monarch in Scotland, https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/palace-of-holyroodhouse/highlights-of-the-palace-of-holyroodhouse#/#mqos bloodstains are said to be still visible from 1566. It was in the oldest part of the palace where David Rizzio, the private secretary of Mary Queen of Scots, was stabbed to death by her husband Lord Darnley and other Scottish nobles. The mystery around the death of Lord Darnely himself, although not at the palace, is just another chapter of Royals behaving badly. https://www.historicmysteries.com/murder-lord-darnley/ .

the Palace gardens

Not all of the stories are based on murder and mystery. One of the most endearing stories is that of Greyfriars Bobby a skye terrier who stayed by the grave of his owner for 18 years. A memorial bronze statue of Bobby stands at the entrance to the cemetery. The dog himself is buried just outside the border but as close as possible to his owners grave. But this may be the greatest story of all. Recent research seems to prove that this tale was a publicity stunt to get people to visit Edinburgh. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2021906/Greyfriars-Bobby-hoax-Dog-kept-vigil-masters-grave-publicity-stunt.html Whether truth or fiction it is still, like so many others, a tale well told in a City of Stories.

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