Well that's the long awaited travel up to Edinburgh gone in a flash, but to me and mam it was worth the wait it was fab! It all started on Friday morning with the 8:07 East Coast Service, which due to the bad weather the pervious day was delayed by 8 mins! The train journey up was on the best yet, with the sun just raising above the sea when we arrived into Berwick!
We arrived in to Edinburgh just after 9:45 am and headed up to my friends Jeans house at St.Nicolas Square. After a lovely coffee and a catch up me and mam headed out, down the Royal Mile to the Museum of Edinburgh! 
A little history on the museum
Visit the Museum’s newest attraction, Foundation – the Story of a City, for a unique journey through Edinburgh’s history. Watch the city grow beneath your feet in the Museum’s new blacked-out theatre.
Decipher the signatures on the National Covenant and imagine the Royal Mile as the hub of Scottish society and politics.
Admire the silverware – work produced by metalworkers called hammermen whose craft guild owned part of this building in former times. Then there is the glassware, much of it made and engraved in the Canongate close by the Museum. There are long case clocks from Edinburgh and a wide range of Scottish pottery.
Look at our sedan chair, old town models and James Craig’s New Town plans - what a contrast between old and new. You can see Greyfriars Bobby’s collar and bowl, dress up in our replica costumes and get creative in our interactive space.
The history of the building
The Museum of Edinburgh is housed in a series of 16th to 18th century buildings arranged around a close – a street with an entrance but no exit. The writer Robert Chambers called the property the ‘speaking house’ because of the 16th century Latin inscriptions on the front of the building.
HODIE MIHI CRAS TIBI CVR IGITVR CVRAS 1570 – Today to me, tomorrow to thee; why therefore takest thou thought (care)?
VT TV LINGVAE SIC EGO MEAR(VM) AVRIM(M) DOMINVS SVM – As thou art (master) of my tongue, so I am master of my ears
CONSTANTIPECRORI RES MORTALIVM VMBRA – Mortal affairs are a shadow to a steadfast heart
SPES ALTERA VITAE – There is another hope of life
The last inscription was inserted in 1932 at the time of the restoration and reads ANTIQUA TAMEN JVVENESCO – I am old but renew my youth.
By the 19th century the rooms were so sub-divided that 323 tenants lived there in 1851. Some of the people who have lived here include a duchess, a merchant , a cowfeeder and a washerwoman.
The part of the Museum of Edinburgh which sits on the west side of Bakehouse Close was named Huntly House, because people thought it had once belonged to the aristocratic Gordon family of Huntly. The Dowager Duchess of Gordon lived there from 1738 to 1760 when she was succeeded by her son Lord Adam Gordon. The Incorporation of Hammermen of the Canongate (craftsmen who included goldsmiths and blacksmiths)
extended the buildings down Bakehouse Close, where the houses were reached by a series of common stairs.
By the late 19th century the Canongate was an area of poverty and decline.
In the 1920s Edinburgh Council bought the property and restored the houses on the west side of the close and the museum then opened in 1932. In 1969 it was extended into buildings on the east side where there had been a pub. It was renamed the Museum of Edinburgh in 2001 and was extended in 2012. Buildings were reconnected by the opening up of existing doorways.
At the moment they are running an Exhibition:
Foundation Edinburgh - The Story of a City
Come and visit the Museum of Edinburgh's newest attraction. Watch Edinburgh's history unfold beneath your feet in the museum's new blacked-out theatre.
Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm; and in August, Sunday 12pm - 5pm
Who is this for? - All
Cost: Adult - £4; Concession - £3; Child aged 5 to 16 inclusive - £2; Family ticket - £10 (two adults and up to two children or one adult and up to three children) Admission to the Museum itself remains free
Foundation Edinburgh – The Story of a City gives Edinburgh’s story from prehistory to the present day. The film is shown in ‘The Cube’, a unique blacked-out theatre. Watch the city grow beneath your feet in a 17 minute film projected onto the floor.
The story starts with the volcanic eruptions that will eventually become Edinburgh. Meet the city’s first people, the hunters who made their home on the rock called Din Eidyn. The story moves from the Royal Courts and battles for the Castle to how the city grows. It shows the religious tensions and their effect on Scotland’s history. You’ll hear the story of Edinburgh’s first mass murderers, Burke and Hare, and the poignant tale of Greyfriars Bobby. You’ll see the creation of the New Town, the beginnings of the Edinburgh Festival and the Scottish Parliament making its home at Holyrood.
“It was really interesting and quite unusual too. The screen is set in the floor so you feel as if you have a bird’s eye view of what happened over the centuries,” said local mum, Alaine Duff.
Duncan (7) said “I like history and really liked hearing about all the battles at the Castle.”
Alexander (5) said “It was really good and I’m going to tell my teacher and all my friends to come and see it.”
Foundation Edinburgh – The Story of a City has been funded by Registers of Scotland. It is one of a planned series of films and follows on from the opening of Foundation Glasgow at The Lighthouse, which has quickly become one of Glasgow’s well-loved visitor attractions.
Next was The People’s Story…..(just on the other side of the road, all items are from Museums of Edinburgh's website)
The People's Story Museum
The People’s Story explores the lives of Edinburgh’s ordinary people at work and play from the late 18th century to today. Visitors can see displays showing a bookbinder’s workshop, a wartime kitchen and much more, all packed with real objects. You can even see a former jail, an original part of this historic building.
The People’s Story is housed in the Canongate Tollbooth, a Royal Mile landmark built in 1591 and used in the past to conduct burgh affairs, collect taxes and as a jail. Visitors can imagine the ghostly rattle of the jailor’s keys as they peer into an original cell.
If you want to experience a real slice of Edinburgh life in the past, from workdays to washdays, high days to holidays, The People’s Story is the museum to visit.
Forms of employment such as printing, brewing and domestic service are represented. We look at the lighter side, too, with our displays on leisure and time out. The Museum is packed full of real objects, from a pub sign to prisoner restraints and political reform banners.
The People’s Story is housed in the Canongate Tolbooth, a category ‘A’ listed building built in 1591 on the site of an earlier tolbooth. It was the courthouse, prison and centre of burgh affairs when the Burgh of Canongate was independent from Edinburgh.
The history of the building
The Burgh of Canongate was incorporated into Edinburgh in 1856. Since then, the building housed a range of activities including a literary institute, library, public hall, fire station and police office.
In 1952, restoration began on the Tollbooth. An adjoining tenement was incorporated and in 1954 the extended building was opened as a museum. In 1988, alterations were again made to prepare the building for its current use as The People’s Story, which opened in 1989.
Please have a look at their website for more information: http://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/
After this both me and mam walk around the ‘Old Town’ taking in the sits, and having the odd coffee…….
Well no tour could not be the same with out having a nice cup of coffee and a bacon sandwich, here is me having a look at the menu before ordering.
Here is John Knox’s House….
Walk in the footsteps of its famous inhabitants and hear the drama unfold in every room. Look out for the tricks and traps to fool intruders; hunt for the devil hiding in The Oak Room ceiling and try your hand at our portrait puzzles that have stumped many visitors in the past.
John Knox House dates back to 1470, making it the only original medieval building left surviving in Edinburgh. The house is associated with one of the most dramatic and turbulent times in Scottish History - The Scottish Reformation - which resulted in the outbreak of civil war and the abdication of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Although John Knox only stayed in this house for a short time before his death in 1572, it was his association with the house that saved it from demolition in the 1840s. During an excavation of the house time-capsules were found buried in the gable wall of the house to commemorate the moment the building was saved. One of these time capsules is displayed in the window of our bookshop.
James Mossman - jeweller and goldsmith to Mary, Queen of Scots - lived in the house in the 1550s until his execution in 1573. He was extremely loyal to Queen Mary and was part of the ‘Queen’s Men’ who seized Edinburgh Castle in an attempt to restore Mary to the throne after her forced abdication in favour of her protestant son James VI. Explore the house to find out the fate of James Mossman.
Up a the top of the Royal Mile, is the St.Giles Cathedral http://www.stgilescathedral.org.uk/ and also The Hub Edinburgh’s iconic landmark, towers over the heart of the world’s leading festival city, gloriously dominating the skyline on the Royal Mile between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace.
This unique and spectacular venue is a stunning combination of award winning contemporary design and classic Victorian architecture.
The Hub’s interior pulsates with colour, light and creative ideas as befits the home of the Edinburgh International Festival.
Full of style and verve, The Hub is a dramatic and dynamic environment for your event, whether business or celebration.http://www.thehub-edinburgh.com/
But of course we came to see the Christmas lights and markets…….
A list of all the activities/attractions on at the Edinburgh's Christmas can be found at https://www.edinburghschristmas.com/
Until next time
Fiona
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