Jump to content

Edinburgh's Classic seven hills


Jambothump

Recommended Posts

Jambothump

In no particular order, Edinburgh is built on 7 classic hills, I am wondering where they are, any help would be appreciated.

Castle Hill-Obvious

Calton Hill-Obvious

Multrees Hill-Also known as Multaur hill, I'm almost certain I think at the east end of St Andrews Square. This one has other spellings

Bunker Hill- Not clue

St John's Hill-Not a clue

St Leonards Hill-I would imagine up by the Pleasance, guessing though

Heriot Hill- Perhaps, where Heriots school is, unlikely though.

 

I've searched the web and NLS records with no success, so any answers or links would be much appreciated.

 

TIA

jt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

castle rock/hill

calton

clermiston

blackford

craighouse?

 

cant remember the others

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The 7 hills are:

 

Arthur's Seat

Braid Hill

Blackford Hill

Castle Rock

Cortorphine Hill

Calton Hill

Craiglockhart Hill

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Gasman

Is it not just that Athens was built on seven hills, and Edinburgh was described as "the Athens of the North", rather than Edinburgh being built on seven hills? :unsure:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jambothump

The hills I have listed are the hills on which the new and old towns were built, some not immediately recognisable as hills now. Multrees hill mentioned, a less recognisable hill today, being a case in point.

 

The hills I have listed are the CLASSIC Edinburgh hills, I'm just trying to find out where they are, Bunker and St John's hill(this may be at the west end where St John's church is, being the hill up from the Grassmarket?) the two that puzzle me most. I've studied maps going back to the early 1600's, with so far only limited success.

 

Other hills were on the periphery of Edinburgh, which remember until the mid 1750's was confined to a city wall. All the hills I've mentioned are built upon, making them not easy to find these days.

 

Thanks for replies, but still looking,

jt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is it not just that Athens was built on seven hills, and Edinburgh was described as "the Athens of the North", rather than Edinburgh being built on seven hills? :unsure:

 

 

Isn't the seven hills thing more connected with Rome?

 

I always assumed Edinburgh was called the Athens of the North due to the Enlightenment and the prolifiration of new ideas, added to the architecture of the New Town.

 

I am possibly way off on that!

 

(Edit: I see Athens is another seven hilled city! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_claimed_to_be_built_on_seven_hills)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As regards Heriot's Hill, Claremount Street seems to be a possible option, with Heriothill.

 

However, I do recall searching for this a while back; the site of Jimmy Clark's school at st Leonards rings a bell for Heriot's Hill. I could be way off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was told (a while ago now) that the seven hills were

 

Castlehill

Calton Hill

Abbeyhill

Heriothill (between Grassmarket and Lauriston Place)

Sciennes Hill

St Leonard's Hill

and

St John's Hill (Brown Street area)

 

but I was never sure that was the correct answer as the latter three all seem to be to close together.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Gasman

I always assumed Edinburgh was called the Athens of the North due to the Enlightenment and the prolifiration of new ideas, added to the architecture of the New Town.

 

I am possibly way off on that!

 

(Edit: I see Athens is another seven hilled city! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_claimed_to_be_built_on_seven_hills)

 

That was what I was meaning Boris, Edinburgh was "the Athens of the North", for the reasons above, and that the whole "seven hills" thing was something of a misnomer.

 

.....but as I see Edinburgh is on the same list as Athens, I'm not sure that theory still stands!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Say What Again

In no particular order, Edinburgh is built on 7 classic hills

What makes a hill 'classic'? :huh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

jambovambo

The 7 hills are:

 

Arthur's Seat

Braid Hill

Blackford Hill

Castle Rock

Cortorphine Hill

Calton Hill

Craiglockhart Hill

That's correct.

 

Think Millennium fireworks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Buffalo Bill

The 7 hills are:

 

Arthur's Seat

Braid Hill

Blackford Hill

Castle Rock

Cortorphine Hill

Calton Hill

Craiglockhart Hill

 

Without wishing to sound pedantic, is it not called 'Easter Craiglockhart Hill?' ... to award it its full name.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jambothump

From what I can make out, Multree's Hill, Moultray's Hill and Bunker Hill are one and the same.The site of the St James Centre.See link.http://www.oldandnewedinburgh.co.uk/volume2/page186/single

Thanks for that, there is a lot of interesting reading there

 

Isn't the seven hills thing more connected with Rome?I always assumed Edinburgh was called the Athens of the North due to the Enlightenment and the prolifiration of new ideas, added to the architecture of the New Town.I am possibly way off on that! (Edit: I see Athens is another seven hilled city! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_claimed_to_be_built_on_seven_hills)

Don't know when Athens of the North was coined, Queen Victoria was astounded at the building sin Edinburgh "not a red brick in site". Winston Churchill, no lover of the Scottish, though apparently both hiss wife and mother both were, is reported to have said something along the lines of "no small country since ancient Greece has produced so much useful innovation/science/ideas for man kind

 

I was told (a while ago now) that the seven hills wereCastlehillCalton HillAbbeyhillHeriothill (between Grassmarket and Lauriston Place)Sciennes HillSt Leonard's HillandSt John's Hill (Brown Street area)but I was never sure that was the correct answer as the latter three all seem to be to close together.

Another reasonable few to add to the mix, I suppose it depends on how heavy the load you are carrying as to what constitutes a separate hill ?

 

What makes a hill 'classic'? :huh:

No idea, be interested on other views,

 

I haven't been able to get these answers anywhere else, thanks to everyone,

jt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.



×
×
  • Create New...