Stockbridge

Edinburgh #7

Stockbridge was once a village on the outskirts of Edinburgh, now swallowed up into the city. Its main claim to fame is the photogenic Circus Lane, built in the early 1800s when Edinburgh's New Town was being developed. Originally it was a service road for the Royal Circus (see the final photo, below), a grand Georgian circle of large houses, whose wealthy inhabitants needed accommodation for their staff and stabling for their horses. 

Ironically, now, it is a very desirable place to live (probably more so than the apartments that most of the larger houses have been split into) with its cobbled street and sweet Georgian cottages, adorned with tubs and hanging baskets. It attracts photographers and Instagrammers. It wasn't that busy when I was there but I still had to wait for people to walk out of the way round the bends.  

Just round the corner, the imposing St Stephen's Church, built in 1828 at the top of St Stephen's Street, is now a theatre. 

One of the older houses in Stockbridge was built in the 1700s as a merchant's dwelling, but apparently incorporates bits of older buildings. It has this lintel, salvaged from elsewhere, that says: 'Fear God Onlye, 1605'. The IR refers to Iacobus Rex: King James VI of Scotland, who had become James I of England and Ireland in 1603. In 1796, the house was the birthplace of David Roberts, who became a celebrated Scottish artist.

The imposing Georgian houses, wide streets, garden squares and sweeping crescents (like the Royal Circus, below) of the New Town are reminiscent of Bath's elegant 18th century architecture.