|
Over the years, Edinburgh's New Town spread out beyond its original plan to swallow up a series of quaint little villages. One of these, the once bohemian Stockbridge, is the perfect antidote to all that perfect symmetry and neoclassical grandeur. Stockbridge has been home to many artists and writers over the years, among them the painter Sir Henry Raeburn (1756-1823) and 19th-century junkie Thomas de Quincey (1785-1859), author of Confessions of an English Opium Eater. Though Stockbridge has all but lost its rakish charm, it remains one of Edinburgh's most beguiling corners and is an interesting place to explore with its jumble of antique shops and second-hand bookstores.
Sights
Around Stockbridge
Start in St Stephen Street, which is lined with antique and junk shops and a great place to spend an hour or two browsing. Follow St Stephen Street as it curves round to the right and at the end is the massive St Stephen's Church, designed by Playfair and built in 1828. From here, turn left up West Silvermills Lane to reach Henderson Row, where you'll find the neoclassical Edinburgh Academy, which was used in 1968 as the model for Marcia Blaine's School for Girls in the screen adaptation of Muriel Spark's Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Head back west along Henderson Row, which becomes Hamilton Place and leads in turn along the south bank of the Water of Leith to the Stock Bridge which crosses the Water of Leith. The original bridge was built in 1786 but the one you see today dates from 1900. Across the other side of the bridge are several fine restaurants, making this a good point to stop for lunch.
The residential streets on the far side of the river were develop- ed by the painter Henry Raeburn. Head left along Dean Terrace to reach the most notable of these, Ann Street, named after his wife and described by the poet Sir John Betjeman as "the most attract- ive street in Britain". It is now one of the most expensive addresses in the city and the only street in the New Town whose houses each have a front garden. Nearby Danube Street was once home to Edinburgh's most notorious brothel, run until the 1980s by Nora Doyce, who described it as a 'YMCA with extras'.
Royal Botanic Garden
T 552 7171. Daily 1000-1600 Nov-Feb; till 1800 Mar-Apr and Sep-Oct; till 2000 May-Aug. Free, but voluntary donations welcomed. There are two entrances; the West Gate, on Arboretum Place, and East Gate on Inverleith Row. Buses 8, 17, 23 and 27 from the city centre.
North of Stockbridge is the district of Inverleith, where you'll find Edinburgh's gorgeous Royal Botanic Garden. Contained within its 72 acres is a mind-boggling variety of plants and trees, as well as walkways, ornamental gardens, various hothouses and huge open spaces. Many of the exotic species you can see were discovered by Scottish collectors during their expeditions around the globe. There's an awful lot to enjoy, but particularly notable are the out- door rock garden, the huge Victorian Palm House, the Glasshouse Experience and the new Chinese Garden, featuring the largest collection of Chinese wild plants outside China. Near the West Gate, at the highest point in the Garden, is Inverleith House, a fine Georgian mansion which used to house the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. It now stages a changing programme of exhibitions. There's a shop at the West Gate selling gifts, books and cards, and a snack bar near the West Gate. A leaflet which has a
|
