Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is a street that follows the contours of a ride from Edinburgh castle to Holyrood palace. It gained its name because it was used by the king to travel between the castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The Royal Mile actually consists of four sections, Castehll, Lawnmarket, High St and Cannongate, names chosen to reflect the historical origins. It is a fascinating street that is lined with quaint buildings, 15th century tenement buildings, tourist shops, towering chimneys, turreted buildings and medieval architecture. Glimpses of the old town may be seen in the alleyways and openings on either side. This was a compact place because inhabitants and builders were constrained by the castles alls on one side, and the boggy ground of the Nor' loch. It was necessary for every type of inhabitant from vicars to thieves, from magistrates to tenants to live virtually side-by-side in and above each other, as expansion was only possible vertically. The six story buildings were the skyscrapers of the 16th and 17h century. The well to do occupied the middle floors (above the stench of the streets) and in the pre-elevator times, not so high so that too many stairs were climbed. The poor live din the attics and cellar spaces- sharing quarters with sewage, rats and rubbish. It is these cramped conditions that contributed to the city's reputation for spookiness.
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