January 21, 2003
"Plague streets" of Edinburgh
This article from Ananova is quite eyecatching:
The entrance to a labyrinth of streets beneath Edinburgh has re-opened, more than 350 years after it was sealed off during an outbreak of plague.A rather more detailed and matter-of-fact treatment here.Workmen have knocked through the floor of the city's council headquarters to expose the entrance to the redeveloped Mary King's Close.
Local folklore says the narrow 17th century staircase beneath the City Chambers is where the council closed off 400 plague victims to die in 1645.
The ghost of a young girl who died from the disease is still said to haunt the area. The redevelopment is due to open at Easter as a tourist attraction.
Posted by David on January 21, 2003 10:57 AM
I am not sure this is what you want for an URL.
I find it most interesting that the sealed off area under the Edinburgh Council Chambers has been opened up. And that they had to go through the floors of the Chambers. In 1979 we were in Edinburgh with the San Diego Youth Symphony for the Festival. My husband was President of the Board of Trustees and the Lord Mayor insisted that the conductor and his wife and my husband and I be put up at the - oh, dear - the delightful hotel (Great Northern?? I could ask Google, but I might never get back here...) over the railroad station. One of the gatherings at which we were feted was in the Council Chambers, and while I was talking with one of the Council members, he mentioned the sealed off area - and asked if he might take us down the next day, but not to tell _any_one as the area was fragile and was not suitable for a large number of viewers. It was fascinating, but the part that interests me now is that we reached the area, many stories down, by elevator... I would be interested to know more about the current arrangements. Is it now open to viewers?
Thank you for addressing this.
Thelma Bolam - San Diego, California
Posted by: Thelma Bolam on May 26, 2004 3:46 AM
gmail.com