Although a tempting ‘selfie spot’, it’s best to refrain from snapping a sneaky shot close to the heart of stone embedded into, The Heart Of Midlothian | © Donna Green / Flickr. The Heart of Midlothian The Heart of Midlothian, novel of Scottish history by Sir Walter Scott, published in four volumes in 1818. Over time, Scots started to interpret this spit-infused action as a gesture of good luck until it eventually became ingrained into modern folklore and ritual. The Tolbooth had a projecting balcony, where the scaffold gloomily loomed over the spectators. But in truth the name comes from a novel, The Heart of Midlothian, by Sir Walter Scott, published in 1818. Their tragic history immortalised in stone forever. The heart actually lies where the prison entrance once was and brass markers signify the overall positioning of the building. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. The title of the book refers to the Old Tolbooth prison in Edinburgh, Scotland, at the time in the heart of the Scottish county of Midlothian. Mostly wicked English. Unless you’ve taken the city tour of Edinburgh, you probably think the Scots are very romantic. The body parts and severed heads of the recently executed were impaled nearby — a likely deterrent for any lingering persons with a craving for criminal activity. Edinburgh would still have its share of public executions until 1864, when a murderer called George Bryce was hanged at the junction of George IV Bridge with High Street. Finally, in 1817 the Tolbooth was demolished, leaving a nicer, tourist-friendly street to roam. Either the council didn’t understand royal slang, or decided to act like rebellious teenagers, because instead of demolishing the Tolbooth, they only partially dismantled it, and added a south-west wing on to the original building. Onlookers tend to be less attached and more incredulous at the spitting shenanigans. In 1784, the last execution was carried out in the Grassmarket, and the Tolbooth replaced it as the spot for locals to enjoy their favourite pastime: watching criminals and innocents alike hanged, kicking at the end of the noose. But why a heart, why it’s called the Heart of Midlothian? Writer, blogger, 27 old and with a passion for history and bachata Far from the truth. But why? Sitting just a hop away from the west door of St Giles’ Cathedral on the High Street near the Duke of Buccleuch statue, this mosaic heart marks the spot of a place where the public once paid taxes, a formidable prison, administration centre and brutal execution site. The Captain of the City Guards, Captain John Porteous, ordered the soldiers to fire into the crowd, killing several people. A heart shaped in stone, a history of tears, blood and politics behind the Heart of Midlothian in Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Cute. A word you often encounter in Edinburgh, its archaic meaning is Town Hall. Picture taken by me. Midlothian was the name of the old county, and the city of Edinburgh was its chief town. And why spitting? His biography and assassination. Bullshit. The history behind the Heart of Midlothian in Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. The Old Tolbooth also went hand in hand with the spectacle of the scaffold. To locals, the Heart of Midlothian — a series of granite setts crafted into a poignant heart disguised by nearby cobblestones — is drenched in tradition and smothered in ritual. And so, the moral of the story goes that it is indeed okay to spit away like the locals on this unassuming historic heart. Stories about the torture and treacherous conditions could make the spine shiver. sidewalk; see right) halfway up the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, the nearest city to Fish's hometown of Dalkeith. But in truth the name comes from a novel, The Heart of Midlothian, by Sir Walter Scott, published in 1818. Edinburgh city, home of the gorgeous Christmas market, the bad weather, kilted bagpipers, a Zoo, bonnie glens, and… Mel Gibson’s buttocks in Braveheart. I’ve spent lots of times in Edinburgh but never spit on this heart. And amidst all the Edinburgh attractions, there’s one that hides a dark secret…. Midlothian was the name of the old county, and the city of Edinburgh was its chief town. I’m not talking about the myriad of souvenir shops, taking over every inch across the street and selling low-quality souvenirs, neither the mysterious location of the Edinburgh Botanical Gardens (I can’t still explain tourists how to get there). Locals will often spit upon the heart as a sign of good luck. — whose crest is based on The Heart of Midlothian — spit as an act of spite! Creative sentences included the stocks (a variation of pillory in which the feet were restrained), cucking stools (ducking and drowning those suspected of witchcraft in North Loch), nailing the ears of the culprit in the Mercat Cross, hanging, and burning at the stake. Facts about Rasputin. The terror, torture and trials didn’t stop there. Prisoners and tax payers didn’t like the Tolbooth customer service, and alongside other locals, spat in the doors. The Heart of Mid-Lothian is precisely focused on the trials for murder of John Porteous and of Effie Deans in 1736 and 1737. Some theorise the heart symbolises the centre, highlighting where the scaffold stood. It's free! The story behind the Heart of Midlothian, as it is called, is much darker and more… unsanitary, than you could conceive. It was a Tolbooth. Hear, Land o’ Cakes and brither Scots, Frae Maidenkirk to Johnny Groat’s, If there’s a hole in a’ your coats, I rede ye tent it; A chiel’s amang you takin’ notes, An’ faith he’ll prent it! The historical backdrop was the event known as the Porteous riots. Changing the curtains wasn’t enough, therefore queen Mary commanded that the town council tear the Old Tolbooth down, and rebuild it. The heart marks the location of the entrance to Edinburgh's Old Tolbooth which was demolished in 1817. But why a heart, why it’s called the Heart of Midlothian? The Heart of Midlothian. It wasn’t a whisky shop, sorry visitors. It is the most complex of all Scott's narratives. Then again, maybe rivals of Edinburgh football team Hearts F.C. Devices with original names, like the thumbscrew or the squeezing boot. Porteous was later killed by a lynch mob who stormed the Old Tolbooth. The Old Tolbooth prison in Edinburgh is called “the heart of Midlothian,” and there Effie Deans is held on charges of having murdered her… The heart is traditionally spat into when you walk past it, and is a symbol of local pride. A building stood there for four centuries. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Inmates spanned the whole gamut, from petty thieves to cold-blooded killers and innocent souls. The Tolbooth origins remains obscure, but in 1403 we first hear of a Praetorium of Edinburgh, in this spot. Aye, they’re true Scots lad. Or perhaps Hearts fans salivate for luck. This Praetorium was divided in two sections: the first, the Belhouse, hosted local, public and national transactions; the other, the Tolbuith, was where the town council met. I spat once, and I’m still here, settled down and studying in the university of Edinburgh three years later. EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION TO THE HEART OF MID-LOTHIAN. This relocation marked the beginning of the darkest period for the Tolbooth. Onlookers tend to be less attached and more incredulous at the spitting shenanigans. If lucky, you’ll catch sight of one venturing down the Royal Mile, lubricating the heart as they head along to the city offices. At that time, prisons weren’t top-notch facilities for tattooed criminals to bulk up in the gym, but rather a place to ward them off, until the magistrate or authorities disposed of them. The state of the prison was so nauseatingly repugnant that Mary, Queen of Scots stepped in and so a New Tolbooth was built. To locals, the Heart of Midlothian — a series of granite setts crafted into a poignant heart disguised by nearby cobblestones — is drenched in tradition and smothered in ritual.