Drummond Street, Edinburgh
Encyclopedia
Drummond Street is a street in Edinburgh
's Old Town
, near the famous Royal Mile
and Holyrood
. The street joins South Bridge
and the Pleasance
. Its west most opening is opposite the University of Edinburgh School of Law
located at Old College
.
Drummond Street is a cobbled road
and is home to many students as well as pubs and restaurants, as well as a sex shop.
The street was named after George Drummond
.
Included on the street is the Rutherford Bar, patronized in the time of Robert Louis Stevenson
and by members of The Speculative Society
at the University. Their weekly meetings were held on Tuesdays, officially from 8 p.m. to midnight. Lord Guthrie, joint president of the Society with Stevenson in the years 1872–1873 and 1873–1874, recalls in his personal memoirs of Stevenson:
A former second floor café, now a Chinese restaurant, is reputedly where J. K. Rowling
began writing the Harry Potter
series.
At the junction of Drummond Street and the Pleasance can be found some vestiges of a bastion
of the Flodden Wall. The wall travels from that bastion along the north side of the street. The lower four feet of the present wall still comprises the stones of the original.
The street was the site of the Drummond Street Surgical Hospital. This was an addition to the Royal Infirmary, which was built in 1853 by David Bryce
. The February 1850 Monthly Journal of Medical Science records the plans for building the hospital as follows:
On 1857-11-04, John Gamgee set up the New Edinburgh Veterinary College on the street, which received its royal sign manual in 1859. Gamgee didn't regard Drummond Street as an ideal location, and sought relocation elsewhere.
In 1860, Robert Nasmith opened the Dental Dispensary, which was a forerunner of the Edinburgh Dental Hospital and School, on the street.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
's Old Town
Old Town, Edinburgh
The Old Town of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is the medieval part of the city. Together with the 18th-century New Town, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has preserved its medieval plan and many Reformation-era buildings....
, near the famous Royal Mile
Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is a succession of streets which form the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland.As the name suggests, the Royal Mile is approximately one Scots mile long, and runs between two foci of history in Scotland, from Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Castle...
and Holyrood
Holyrood, Edinburgh
Holyrood is an area in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Lying east of the city centre, at the end of the Royal Mile, Holyrood was once in the separate burgh of Canongate before the expansion of Edinburgh in 1856...
. The street joins South Bridge
South Bridge, Edinburgh
South Bridge is a bridge in Edinburgh, Scotland. Largely appearing to be a street, rather than a bridge, at its deck level, it starts at the Tron Kirk and finishes at the Old College, University of Edinburgh, crossing various smaller streets. Below deck level are many buildings and vaults, the...
and the Pleasance
Pleasance
The Pleasance is a street in the Old Town, Edinburgh, Scotland. It is largely residential, although the University of Edinburgh owns property in the area.-University of Edinburgh union:...
. Its west most opening is opposite the University of Edinburgh School of Law
University of Edinburgh School of Law
The University of Edinburgh School of Law, founded in 1707, is a school within the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, dedicated to research and teaching in law. Known today as Edinburgh Law School, it is located in the historic Old College, the original site of the University...
located at Old College
Old College, University of Edinburgh
Old College is a building of the University of Edinburgh. It is located on South Bridge, and presently houses parts of the University's administration, the University of Edinburgh School of Law, and the Talbot Rice Gallery...
.
Drummond Street is a cobbled road
Cobblestone
Cobblestones are stones that were frequently used in the pavement of early streets. "Cobblestone" is derived from the very old English word "cob", which had a wide range of meanings, one of which was "rounded lump" with overtones of large size...
and is home to many students as well as pubs and restaurants, as well as a sex shop.
The street was named after George Drummond
George Drummond
George Drummond was accountant-general of excise in Scotland and a local politician, elected Lord Provost of Edinburgh a number of times between 1725 and 1764....
.
Included on the street is the Rutherford Bar, patronized in the time of Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
and by members of The Speculative Society
The Speculative Society
The Speculative Society is a Scottish Enlightenment society dedicated to public speaking and literary composition. The Society is mainly, but not exclusively, a university student organisation....
at the University. Their weekly meetings were held on Tuesdays, officially from 8 p.m. to midnight. Lord Guthrie, joint president of the Society with Stevenson in the years 1872–1873 and 1873–1874, recalls in his personal memoirs of Stevenson:
A former second floor café, now a Chinese restaurant, is reputedly where J. K. Rowling
J. K. Rowling
Joanne "Jo" Rowling, OBE , better known as J. K. Rowling, is the British author of the Harry Potter fantasy series...
began writing the Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series.
At the junction of Drummond Street and the Pleasance can be found some vestiges of a bastion
Bastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
of the Flodden Wall. The wall travels from that bastion along the north side of the street. The lower four feet of the present wall still comprises the stones of the original.
The street was the site of the Drummond Street Surgical Hospital. This was an addition to the Royal Infirmary, which was built in 1853 by David Bryce
David Bryce
David Bryce FRSE FRIBA RSA was a Scottish architect. Born in Edinburgh, he was educated at the Royal High School and joined the office of architect William Burn in 1825, aged 22. By 1841, Bryce had risen to be Burn's partner...
. The February 1850 Monthly Journal of Medical Science records the plans for building the hospital as follows:
On 1857-11-04, John Gamgee set up the New Edinburgh Veterinary College on the street, which received its royal sign manual in 1859. Gamgee didn't regard Drummond Street as an ideal location, and sought relocation elsewhere.
In 1860, Robert Nasmith opened the Dental Dispensary, which was a forerunner of the Edinburgh Dental Hospital and School, on the street.