"Is anyone aware of restrictions being placed on strangers in London" Hi there, In the late 1720s The great and the good of Edinburgh invited a group of Picardy Huguenots to come to Edinburgh from a desire to encourage the weaving industry in Scotland. The huguenots were described as poor and illiterate but Scotland needed their skills. However only Edinburgh Burghers were allowed to ply trade within the city boundaries. The incomers were offered a piece of land outside the city boundary which they completely rejected. The only alternative open to the "Board" was to make each family head a Burgher of Edinburgh. I think some researchers have assumed that these men from Picardy had "risen" in society to have become Burgesses; this was not the case. It was a bribe to come to Edinburgh. I am sure tit would be the case all over the country; Hughuenots could live "outwith" the city boundaries.Otherwise they would have to buy earn or....somehow obtain the status to trade "within". In fact I have seen an advert in the Times for a property in Spital Square where one of the selling points was that the shop was outside the city boundary and so trade would be easy for prospective buyers Penny Cazaly