The modern city of Edinburgh sprawls out in spacious suburbs along the southern shore of the Firth of Forth but social conditions did not always permit inhabitants the luxury of ample living space. “The Auld Toon” or “Auld Reekie” as it is called perches on Castle Hill, in bygone times the only easily defensible piece of real estate with access to the natural harbour of the Forth estuary.

Medieval Scotland was a wild place and the rule of law was often superseded by clan squabbles, religious conflict and wars with the English which were something of a national sport for both countries. Consequently people flocked to the security of the walled garrison towns and particularly to Edinburgh which was considered impregnable.

As the population grew the town, constrained as it was by the sheer cliffs of Castle Rock could only expand in two directions, up and down. The narrow streets became canyon – like as tenements of five and six stories towered above them. Beneath the streets another city was growing. Under each street several wynds, subterranean passages, were carved from the bedrock.

Medieval societies depended for their structure on a strict class – based hierarchy or in the case of Edinburgh a higherarchy. The richer and more important you were the higher you lived, the King in his castle atop the hill, the noblemen and gentry and their families in the penthouse apartments of each tenement. Below them were the wealthy merchants, lawyers and bankers, further down the craftsmen and tradesmen; goldsmiths, silversmiths and dealers in spices, wines, fine cloths and such. Eventually at street level the butchers and bakers, maybe the odd candlestick maker even, the farriers, weavers, tailors and other vendors had their premises. Below the street however was another hierarchy, or perhaps a lowerarchy, the servants, artisans, the hired help, below them the day labourers, chimney sweeps, stable hands and at the very bottom of society if you will pardon the pun, the night soil men who cleaned up the human waste in the hours of darkness.

Niddrie Street was the main street through the poorest, most low – lying part of town. Beneath it the Niddrie Wynd which at its lowest level was a refuge for Edinburgh’s underclass. The inhabitants often spent their whole life below ground, never knowing the feel of sunshine on their faces.