Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

• Type

  Legal Documents

  Title

  SM3012_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600009145)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises a stretch of the Flodden Wall, one of Edinburgh's late medieval town walls, dating to circa 1513, and lying from NT 2527 7339 to NT 2528 7334. The monument was originally scheduled in 1970, but there have been a number os developments in its immediate vicinity since that date, as well as archaeological investigations and recording. This re-scheduling affords the monument protection in its modern setting, extends the scheduling to include the whole length of this stretch of the wall, and takes account of information gleaned from recent investigations.

The construction of the flodden wall is traditionally linked to the fear of English invasion following the defeat of the Scottish army at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. The wall enclosed areas of the town that had grown outside the limits of earlier town walls, as well as the churches of the Greyfriars, Kirk O'Field and the Blackfriars. Part of the wall ran along the same line as several ports, which are documented as having been in existence at least eight years before the Battle of Flodden. It is thought likely, therefore, that the threat of invasion gave added impetus to a project already underway to enclose the expanded burgh.

Some sections of the Flodden Wall comprised fortification of an existing wall(s), for example, the strengthening of existing lines of buildings, property boundary dykes, and, possibly, an older town wall. It is documented that work on the Wall was carried out in this manner in several phases until around 1560; as a concequence, the construction method was neither uniform nor consistent.

Documentary evidence testifies that the Flodden Wall had six main ports; that it included towers at strategic points; that is was crenellated; and that the stone used in its rubble construction was quarried locally. The wall was clearly defensive in intent, but it also defined the legal limit of the medieval burgh in the early 16th century, and would have controlled the passage of people, goods and animals into and out of the burgh, thereby serving to secure the payment of custom dues and prevent the spread of disease.

The W extremity of the Flodden Wall ran from the foot of Edinburgh Castle rock down to the W end of and across Grassmarket, before continuing up the Vennel. Excavations and structural analysis of the Wall running from the top to the older steps near Johnstone Terrace down to the Grassmarket revealed that the original 16th-century Wall survives to a height of at least 1.2m beneath its later components; and that the older part of the Wall is battered towards its base of the E side, and is constructed of roughly dressed sandstone and whinstone blocks bonded with lime mortar. The upper 1.85m of the Wall was found to be a 19th-century rebuild, and the remains of an 18th-century structure were detected, built adjacent to the W side of the lower 1.35m of the original Wall, just N of No.4 Grassmarket.

Concrete steps now lie adjecent to the W side of the Wall, running between Grassmarket and the older flight of steps near Johnston Terrace, and metal handrails are fixed into the Wall. A dance studio lies near the E side of the N end of the scheduled area, and a modern wall, with a 2001 date-stone, has been constructed to fill the gap where the above-ground elements of the Flodden Wall had collapsed in the original scheduled area. A gateway has also been formed through the N part of the 19th-century rebuild of the Wall, as an egress from the dance studio.

The area to be scheduled is linear and measures a maximum of 47.2m by 1.9m, to include the Flodden Wall and its underground batter, as marked in red on the accompanying map. The modern concrete steps, the older steps leading down from Johnstone Terrace, the boundary wall at the N end of the scheduled area, all of the adjacent upstanding buildings including The Three Quarters Bar (a former church), the 2001 stretch of rebuilt wall, the handrails, and the top 1.85m of the other sections of the 19th-century wall are specifically excluded from scheduling.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to an understanding of the construction, architecture, development and use of medieval town walls. Its importance is increased by its historical value as part of the story of the development of the City of Edinburgh and in relation to the aftermath of the Battle of Flodden.

References

Bibliography

About Scheduled Monuments

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

Find out more about scheduling and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.