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Today in History
1805:
Sir Alexander Burnes, Scottish explorer and public official, was born. A noted explorer of Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and southern Russia, he was author of 'Map of Central Asia' and 'Travels into Bokhara.'
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Derivation of Local Street Names |
Festival Square
In honour of the Edinburgh International Festival.
Filmhouse Lane
Named after the Filmhouse, formerly Lothian Road Church. It was previously called St Antony's Place Lane. St Antony's Place is now part of Morrison Street, from Semple Street to Lothian Road.
Fountainbridge
At the beginning of the 18th century the bridge which crossed the Dalry Burn, flowing from the Burgh Loch (now the Meadows) to the Water of Leith near Roseburn, situated nearly at the head of Grove Street, was called 'Foullbridge'. The river was called 'Foullburn', which at that time was a common sewer.
In St Cuthbert's Churchyard a headstone reads: 'Here lies the body of Bailie Robert Mitchel, Portioner of Foull-Bridge, born 1667 and died 1730'.
After 1735 the name Fountainbridge became a more common and better sounding alternative, naming the area after the Fountain or Well nearly opposite Grove Street, the water from which was unpolluted. By 1773 most residences in the area were referred to in relation to the Fountain rather than the bridge.
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Tollcross Online
