Eleanor: I had figured that much out, but what really interests me is why they were made in the first place, some appear to be architeckial gems and what prompted them to be build behind existing buildings or to have buildings built in front of them. Gordon ----- Original Message ----- From: "Eleanor Robertson" <eleanor.robertson@blueyonder.co.uk> To: <MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 10:56 AM Subject: RE: [MLN] The Close's of Edinburgh > Close means a closed ending there is only one way out it is the same way > as > you came in. > Hope this helps > Regards > Eleanor > > -----Original Message----- > From: gordon crooks [mailto:glcrooks@bcpl.net] > Sent: 21 March 2005 12:21 > To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [MLN] The Close's of Edinburgh > > Can anyone explain the reason for building "Close's" in the first place, > shortage of flat land or what? > > Gordon > > > > > >

Think of the Royal Mile as the spine of a fish. Building was done on either side and down the closes. People only lived in the High Street so they needed as many houses as possible that is why the houses were built so high. Once you get to the Canongate things change as that was out side the city walls. They then built houses with more space between them, but this was not popular at the time as people were afraid to live out side the gates for fear of the invasion mainly. Hope you understand this. Regards Eleanor -----Original Message----- From: gordon crooks [mailto:glcrooks@bcpl.net] Sent: 21 March 2005 15:04 To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [MLN] The Close's of Edinburgh Eleanor: I had figured that much out, but what really interests me is why they were made in the first place, some appear to be architeckial gems and what prompted them to be build behind existing buildings or to have buildings built in front of them. Gordon ----- Original Message ----- From: "Eleanor Robertson" <eleanor.robertson@blueyonder.co.uk> To: <MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 10:56 AM Subject: RE: [MLN] The Close's of Edinburgh > Close means a closed ending there is only one way out it is the same way > as > you came in. > Hope this helps > Regards > Eleanor > > -----Original Message----- > From: gordon crooks [mailto:glcrooks@bcpl.net] > Sent: 21 March 2005 12:21 > To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [MLN] The Close's of Edinburgh > > Can anyone explain the reason for building "Close's" in the first place, > shortage of flat land or what? > > Gordon > > > > > >

excuse my ignorance of Scottish hoistory - what invasion Liz >From: "Eleanor Robertson" <eleanor.robertson@blueyonder.co.uk> >Reply-To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: RE: [MLN] The Close's of Edinburgh >Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 15:15:59 -0000 > >Think of the Royal Mile as the spine of a fish. >Building was done on either side and down the closes. >People only lived in the High Street so they needed as many houses as >possible that is why the houses were built so high. >Once you get to the Canongate things change as that was out side the city >walls. They then built houses with more space between them, but this was >not >popular at the time as people were afraid to live out side the gates for >fear of the invasion mainly. >Hope you understand this. >Regards >Eleanor > >-----Original Message----- >From: gordon crooks [mailto:glcrooks@bcpl.net] >Sent: 21 March 2005 15:04 >To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [MLN] The Close's of Edinburgh > >Eleanor: I had figured that much out, but what really interests me is why >they were made in the first place, some appear to be architeckial gems and >what prompted them to be build behind existing buildings or to have >buildings built in front of them. > > Gordon >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Eleanor Robertson" <eleanor.robertson@blueyonder.co.uk> >To: <MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 10:56 AM >Subject: RE: [MLN] The Close's of Edinburgh > > > > Close means a closed ending there is only one way out it is the same way > > as > > you came in. > > Hope this helps > > Regards > > Eleanor > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: gordon crooks [mailto:glcrooks@bcpl.net] > > Sent: 21 March 2005 12:21 > > To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com > > Subject: [MLN] The Close's of Edinburgh > > > > Can anyone explain the reason for building "Close's" in the first >place, > > shortage of flat land or what? > > > > Gordon > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

In those days there was always fighting have you never heard of the Battle of Bannockburn -----Original Message----- From: Liz Parkinson [mailto:parkinsonliz@hotmail.com] Sent: 21 March 2005 15:47 To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: RE: [MLN] The Close's of Edinburgh excuse my ignorance of Scottish hoistory - what invasion Liz >From: "Eleanor Robertson" <eleanor.robertson@blueyonder.co.uk> >Reply-To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: RE: [MLN] The Close's of Edinburgh >Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 15:15:59 -0000 > >Think of the Royal Mile as the spine of a fish. >Building was done on either side and down the closes. >People only lived in the High Street so they needed as many houses as >possible that is why the houses were built so high. >Once you get to the Canongate things change as that was out side the city >walls. They then built houses with more space between them, but this was >not >popular at the time as people were afraid to live out side the gates for >fear of the invasion mainly. >Hope you understand this. >Regards >Eleanor > >-----Original Message----- >From: gordon crooks [mailto:glcrooks@bcpl.net] >Sent: 21 March 2005 15:04 >To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [MLN] The Close's of Edinburgh > >Eleanor: I had figured that much out, but what really interests me is why >they were made in the first place, some appear to be architeckial gems and >what prompted them to be build behind existing buildings or to have >buildings built in front of them. > > Gordon >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Eleanor Robertson" <eleanor.robertson@blueyonder.co.uk> >To: <MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 10:56 AM >Subject: RE: [MLN] The Close's of Edinburgh > > > > Close means a closed ending there is only one way out it is the same way > > as > > you came in. > > Hope this helps > > Regards > > Eleanor > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: gordon crooks [mailto:glcrooks@bcpl.net] > > Sent: 21 March 2005 12:21 > > To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com > > Subject: [MLN] The Close's of Edinburgh > > > > Can anyone explain the reason for building "Close's" in the first >place, > > shortage of flat land or what? > > > > Gordon > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

probably space in an expanding city - the actual "old city" is small and cramped, and the outskirts would have been hard to build on in those days without JCBs etc - Just an opinion tho Liz >From: "gordon crooks" <glcrooks@bcpl.net> >Reply-To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [MLN] The Close's of Edinburgh >Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 11:04:04 -0400 > >Eleanor: I had figured that much out, but what really interests me is why >they were made in the first place, some appear to be architeckial gems and >what prompted them to be build behind existing buildings or to have >buildings built in front of them. > > Gordon >----- Original Message ----- From: "Eleanor Robertson" ><eleanor.robertson@blueyonder.co.uk> >To: <MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 10:56 AM >Subject: RE: [MLN] The Close's of Edinburgh > > >>Close means a closed ending there is only one way out it is the same way >>as >>you came in. >>Hope this helps >>Regards >>Eleanor >> >>-----Original Message----- >>From: gordon crooks [mailto:glcrooks@bcpl.net] >>Sent: 21 March 2005 12:21 >>To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com >>Subject: [MLN] The Close's of Edinburgh >> >>Can anyone explain the reason for building "Close's" in the first place, >>shortage of flat land or what? >> >> Gordon >> >> >> >> >> >> > >