Nice extract. Suddenly brough back memories of when I was a student at the School of Pharmacy in the Grassmarket, just below the castle rock, up a close behind Greyfriars Churchyard, and beside the local doss house! Many a time up and down those wynds to and from the High Street. Back on topic I checked out the definition in the Scots Dictionary and came up with the following:- close, clos, late 15th - 17th century; closse late 16th - early 20th century 1. an enclosure, courtyard late 15th century, now chiefly Edinburgh. 2. specifically a farmyard late 19th century 3. an entry, passageway, alley 16th century originally Edinburgh 4. Specifically an entry to a tenement, the passage way giving access to the common stair late 19th century, chiefly South West & West Central Scotland "it's up a closie" - in a hopeless position "in the wrang closie" - in an irretrievable position, in grievous error - moira WSLIBB@aol.com wrote: >Some years ago I wrote a story for my family detailing the history of >Libberton's Wynd within the High Street of Edinburgh. > >Perhaps this extract will help to explain the meaning and the description of >the term 'Close' > >"At this point I feel that I should clarify if that is necessary the >difference between a Wynd and the other Scottish housing term “The Close”. The main >difference is that a Wynd led from one street to another and was open at bot >h ends in this case from the High Street to the Cowgate the Cowgate being a >very fashionable area of Edinburgh at this time. A Close the name coming from >the ‘French’ “Clos” meaning a narrow enclosed space was usually a private >entrance to houses only open at one end with a gate which could and usually >was locked at night. > >In 1776 ‘E. Topham’, in his book “Letters from Edinburgh”, observed that >along with other matters; > >“From the High Street you pass down by means of different alleyways, or as >they call them here Wynds and Closes, to the different parts of the Old Town. >There are many of them, and so very steep, that it requires great attention >to the feet to prevent falling. But so well accustomed are the Scots to that >position of the body required in descending these declevities that I have seen >a Scots girl run down them with great swiftness in pattens.” > >In 1790, the Town Council of the day ordered all Wynds and Closes to be >properly named. By means of proper signs and directions, this made Libberton’s >Wynd number 260 High Street, and number 74 Cowgate. In 1849 the superintendent >of streets renewed all the nameplates on the Wynds and Closes in the High >Street and the Cowgate." > >Hope this Helps > >Bill Libberton > > > > > > >