A snapshot of the upper-class hub of 16th-century Edinburgh

Published on Friday 19 September 2003 01:00

REMAINS dating back to the 16th century - when Edinburgh’s Old Town was an upper-class enclave of the city - have been discovered by archaeologists working on the site of last year’s Cowgate fire.

Before its slide into infamy in the 19th century, the Cowgate was the home of ambassadors, noblemen and upper-class clergy.

The site of the former Gilded Balloon theatre was the childhood home of the illustrious architects Robert and John Adam, and was once owned by a notorious philanderer who was also a leading priest.

Archeologists who have pieced together a history of the site from existing accounts are keen to get permission to carry out a full dig on the site before rebuilding takes place.

A team of experts have spent nine months piecing together 500 years of history, studying all existing records of buildings on the site and working alongside demolition teams to assess the age of buildings which stood there.

One of the most notorious residents of the site was the wealthy Sir John Dingwall, a 16th-century property magnate who fathered a string of illegitimate children despite being a leading member of the clergy.

City council archeologist John Lawson said the study of the site, funded by Edinburgh Council and carried out in conjunction with archeological researchers Addyman Associates, had revealed the history stretched back further than was suspected.

He said: "Working alongside the demolition team on the site gave us an opportunity to get a clearer picture of how the area originally looked.

"Along with the work of the historians, this study has given us a snapshot of how the Old Town developed."