Holy Corner
Encyclopedia
Holy Corner is a colloquial name for a small area of Edinburgh
, Scotland
, and (along with Church Hill
) is actually part of the area more properly known as Burghmuirhead
, itself part of the lands of Greenhill
. Holy Corner lies between the areas of Bruntsfield
and Morningside
. It is well-known to local people (and most Edinburgh taxi drivers) and has borne the name for a long while, but never appears on maps or in addresses, being really just a nickname.
The name derives from the crossroads, where Morningside Road, Colinton
Road and Chamberlain Road meet; on each of the corners of the crossroad is a church (although two are slightly set back.) Church Hill
is the small area to the south and includes the Church Hill Theatre, formerly yet another church. Beyond is Morningside, with the former parish church (now part of Napier University
) only just beyond Church Hill. The north end of the crossroads leads into Bruntsfield Place. Merchiston
is along Colinton Road to the west.
The churches of Holy Corner are: Christ Church (Scottish Episcopal Church
), Morningside United (Church of Scotland
and United Reformed Church
) and Morningside Baptist Church (Baptist Church). Morningside Baptist Church
purchased Central Hall, Tollcross in June 2011 and now hold services there. MBC are retaining their Holy Corner building but are leasing it out to the Rock Elim Church. The fourth of the churches has been turned into the Eric Liddell
centre (ELC). The area's "holiness" has been enhanced in recent years by having had a Christian "centre of healing", an Iyengar yoga
centre, and also the Edinburgh base of the "Western Buddhist Order" group (until 2005) in the vicinity. There is also a Bank of Scotland
branch in the north west corner.
Adding to the count of nearby churches, a short distance away atop Church Hill is the Church Hill Theatre which was built as a church by Edinburgh architect Hippolyte Blanc
(who also designed Christ Church). Not far beyond that is the former Morningside Parish Church (Church of Scotland) which is now a part of Napier University
, the congregation having been merged with another church towards the south of Morningside in the late 1980s.
Other notable features in the immediate area include Napier University's Merchiston campus, which incorporates Merchiston Castle (or tower)
, birthplace and former home of John Napier
, the mathematician
and alleged necromancer
. Merchiston Tower is also the ancient seat of Clan Napier
.
The former site of a garden centre in the north west corner, next to a branch of the Bank of Scotland, was transformed into a compact "metropolitan" supermarket for Tesco
, with adjacent coffee house and furniture shop, in 2006.
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...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and (along with Church Hill
Church Hill, Edinburgh
Church Hill is the name of a street and small surrounding area in Edinburgh, Scotland.It lies immediately to the north of Morningside and south of Bruntsfield; technically it is part of Burghmuirhead, together with Holy Corner. All of Burghmuirhead was once part of the lands of Greenhill...
) is actually part of the area more properly known as Burghmuirhead
Burghmuirhead
Burghmuirhead is an area of Edinburgh, Scotland.The area lies between Bruntsfield to the north and Morningside to the south. West is Merchiston and east is Greenhill and then The Grange....
, itself part of the lands of Greenhill
Greenhill, Edinburgh
Greenhill is a small area of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland.South-west of the city centre, Greenhill is normally taken to be part of Bruntsfield, which continues to the north. Greenhill borders Marchmont and The Grange to the east, Morningside to the south, and Merchiston is west, beyond Holy...
. Holy Corner lies between the areas of Bruntsfield
Bruntsfield
Bruntsfield is an area of Edinburgh, Scotland, about twenty minutes walk south-west of the city centre. In feudal times it fell within the barony of Colinton.-Location:...
and Morningside
Morningside, Edinburgh
Morningside is a district in the south-west of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is south of the areas of Bruntsfield, Burghmuirhead ; south-west of Marchmont, and south-east of Merchiston...
. It is well-known to local people (and most Edinburgh taxi drivers) and has borne the name for a long while, but never appears on maps or in addresses, being really just a nickname.
The name derives from the crossroads, where Morningside Road, Colinton
Colinton
Colinton is a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland situated 6 kilometres south west of the city centre. It is bordered by Dreghorn to the south and Craiglockhart to the north-east. To the north-west it extends to Lanark Road and to the south-west to the City Bypass...
Road and Chamberlain Road meet; on each of the corners of the crossroad is a church (although two are slightly set back.) Church Hill
Church Hill, Edinburgh
Church Hill is the name of a street and small surrounding area in Edinburgh, Scotland.It lies immediately to the north of Morningside and south of Bruntsfield; technically it is part of Burghmuirhead, together with Holy Corner. All of Burghmuirhead was once part of the lands of Greenhill...
is the small area to the south and includes the Church Hill Theatre, formerly yet another church. Beyond is Morningside, with the former parish church (now part of Napier University
Napier University
Edinburgh Napier is one of the largest higher education institutions in Scotland with over 17,000 students, including nearly 5,000 international students, from more than 100 nations worldwide.-History:...
) only just beyond Church Hill. The north end of the crossroads leads into Bruntsfield Place. Merchiston
Merchiston
Merchiston is a prosperous, mainly residential area in the south-west of Edinburgh, Scotland. The housing is primarily a mixture of large, late Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian villas – several of the latter by Edward Calvert – together with a smaller number of Victorian tenements and...
is along Colinton Road to the west.
The churches of Holy Corner are: Christ Church (Scottish Episcopal Church
Scottish Episcopal Church
The Scottish Episcopal Church is a Christian church in Scotland, consisting of seven dioceses. Since the 17th century, it has had an identity distinct from the presbyterian Church of Scotland....
), Morningside United (Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
and United Reformed Church
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
) and Morningside Baptist Church (Baptist Church). Morningside Baptist Church
Morningside Baptist Church
Morningside Baptist Church is a Baptist church originally located in Morningside, Edinburgh.The church was built as a Free church in 1872. It proved to be too small so they built what is now the Churchhill Theatre and moved there. As the Holy Corner church was vacant it was bought in 1894/95 for...
purchased Central Hall, Tollcross in June 2011 and now hold services there. MBC are retaining their Holy Corner building but are leasing it out to the Rock Elim Church. The fourth of the churches has been turned into the Eric Liddell
Eric Liddell
Eric Henry Liddell was a Scottish athlete, rugby union international player, and missionary.Liddell was the winner of the men's 400 metres at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris...
centre (ELC). The area's "holiness" has been enhanced in recent years by having had a Christian "centre of healing", an Iyengar yoga
Iyengar Yoga
Iyengar Yoga, created by B. K. S. Iyengar, is a form of Hatha Yoga known for its use of props, such as belts, blocks, and blankets, as aids in performing asanas . The props enable students to perform the asanas correctly, minimising the risk of injury or strain, and making the postures accessible...
centre, and also the Edinburgh base of the "Western Buddhist Order" group (until 2005) in the vicinity. There is also a Bank of Scotland
Bank of Scotland
The Bank of Scotland plc is a commercial and clearing bank based in Edinburgh, Scotland. With a history dating to the 17th century, it is the second oldest surviving bank in what is now the United Kingdom, and is the only commercial institution created by the Parliament of Scotland to...
branch in the north west corner.
Adding to the count of nearby churches, a short distance away atop Church Hill is the Church Hill Theatre which was built as a church by Edinburgh architect Hippolyte Blanc
Hippolyte Blanc
Hippolyte Jean Blanc was a Scottish architect. Best known for his church buildings in the Gothic revival style, Blanc was also a keen antiquarian who oversaw meticulously researched restoration projects.-Early life:...
(who also designed Christ Church). Not far beyond that is the former Morningside Parish Church (Church of Scotland) which is now a part of Napier University
Napier University
Edinburgh Napier is one of the largest higher education institutions in Scotland with over 17,000 students, including nearly 5,000 international students, from more than 100 nations worldwide.-History:...
, the congregation having been merged with another church towards the south of Morningside in the late 1980s.
Other notable features in the immediate area include Napier University's Merchiston campus, which incorporates Merchiston Castle (or tower)
Merchiston Castle
Merchiston Castle or Merchiston Tower was probably built by Alexander Napier, the second Laird of Merchiston around 1454. It serves as the seat for Clan Napier...
, birthplace and former home of John Napier
John Napier
John Napier of Merchiston – also signed as Neper, Nepair – named Marvellous Merchiston, was a Scottish mathematician, physicist, astronomer & astrologer, and also the 8th Laird of Merchistoun. He was the son of Sir Archibald Napier of Merchiston. John Napier is most renowned as the discoverer...
, the mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
and alleged necromancer
Necromancy
Necromancy is a claimed form of magic that involves communication with the deceased, either by summoning their spirit in the form of an apparition or raising them bodily, for the purpose of divination, imparting the ability to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge...
. Merchiston Tower is also the ancient seat of Clan Napier
Clan Napier
Clan Napier is a Scottish clan originally from lands around Loch Lomond, but with presence in Stirlingshire, Edinburgh, Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire.-Origins of the Clan:There is some debate about the origin of the name Napier...
.
The former site of a garden centre in the north west corner, next to a branch of the Bank of Scotland, was transformed into a compact "metropolitan" supermarket for Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
, with adjacent coffee house and furniture shop, in 2006.
See also
- Holy Corner (Ghent Béguinage)Holy Corner (Ghent Béguinage)The Belgian city of Ghent has three béguinages: the "Old Saint Elisabeth", known in English as the Holy Corner, the new Saint Elisabeth béguinage in the Ghent suburb of Sint-Amandsberg and Our Lady Ter Hoyen in the Lange Violettenstraat...
– a place in BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, the name of which may be connected to Edinburgh's Holy Corner
External links
- Holy Corner website (listing the churches)
- Bruntsfield page & From the top of Christ Church steeple - Holy Corner photographs are available at the photography site of Dave Henniker: