SALLY: 'An exit of troops from a besieged place against an enemy; a surprise or sudden outing; an excursion or side trip’.
SOUTHSIDE: An area of Edinburgh that is a little difficult to define. Originally it referred to the open ground lying between the city wall and the Meadows. By the early 1900s it meant the densely populated area around the University, including George Square, Buccleuch Street, Nicloson Street and the Pleasance districts. By the second half of the 20th century local people added to that the area going even further south as far as Liberton, and would include Newington, Grange, Sciennes and Prestonfield. I myself would grant those last areas some autonomous status of their own, so this multi will concentrate on the area that lies wedged in between the Meadows and St Leonard’s, from South Bridge to Summerhall. I apologise for omitting information about George Square, Old College, and the College of Surgeons from this multi, as they are already mentioned in other caches. This part of South Edinburgh is dominated by the very busy main A7 road that leads from the east end of Princes St to Carlisle. The A7 is named along its route as North Bridge, South Bridge, Nicolson St, St Patrick St, St Patrick Square, Clerk St, South Clerk St, Newington Rd, Minto St, Mayfield Gardens, and Craigmillar Park, where it takes a dogleg onto Old Dalkeith Road. Peedieduchess first came to Edinburgh in 1972 and for a time lived in student accommodation in Craigmillar Park, so she learned these names by heart in order to make sure of getting on the correct bus.
Gracious victorian architecture and leafy squares makes the area a popular place to live in and to stroll around looking at the many interesting shops. In the evening the place comes to life even more thanks to the Festival Theatre and the Queen’s Hall.
This multi is of course going to concentrate on places of historical interest.
IMPORTANT: Although it is possible to find some of the answers at home, there are some that require you to go to the actual waypoints.
THIS IS ONE OF TWELVE LOCAL HISTORY MULTIS and two bonuses. Make sure to keep a note of your answers if you want to find the bonus mystery caches.
First series: Gambol Through the Grange Second series: Sally into the Southside
Meander Through Marchmont Knocking around Newington
Saunter Through Sciennes Toddle Around Tollcross
Bimble Through Blackford Footerin' Aboot in Fountainbridge
Birl Through Bruntsfield Perambulate through Prestonfield
Mosey Through the Meadows Stravaiging around St Leonard's
There is a bonus mystery cache for the first series: Jig Through Half a Dozen History Multis
There is a bonus mystery cache for the second series: Jig Through another Half a Dozen multicaches
Waypoint 1 N 55° 56.840' W 3° 11.130' Robert Louis Stevenson
We should start our sally outside a place associated with one of Edinburgh’s most famous sons. This pub called the 'Hispaniola' used to be called 'Rutherford’s Public House'. RLS, author of ‘Kidnapped’ and ‘Treasure Island’, used to drink here during his student days at Old College, which is just across the road. It is believed that he based some of his characters on people he met here. Hispaniola is, of course, a caribbean island discovered by Columbus, but also the name of the schooner where much of the action takes place in Treasure Island. There is a plaque for him on the wall on the corner of Drummond St and South Bridge, and also one about some other poets and writers.
CLUE 1: Look at the model of the Hispaniola in the window nearest the door. Count the number of gun ports on the bottom row and subtract 8 from this to get A
Waypoint 2 N 55° 56.765 W 003° 11.117 Brass Founders Pillar
Just inside the gate into the small park, you can see the imposing Brass Founders Pillar.
This pillar was made for the Edinburgh International Exhibition which was held in the Meadows in 1886. It won a gold medal! The designer was James Gowans, and the sculptor was John S Rhind. After the exhibition, it was moved first to Saughton Park then in 1909 it was brought here to Nicolson Square. It blew down in a gale in 1968 but was restored in 1976 by staff and students of the engineering department of Napier University. The person standing on the top is Tubal-Cain, the biblical brass founder and ironworker, mentioned in Genesis 4:22, and known for being the first blacksmith. He stands on top of a square-sided bronze pillar decorated with coats of arms on shields arranged vertically. He holds up a hammer in his right hand. Tubal-Cain appears as a character played by Ray Winstone in the 2014 movie ‘Noah’ starring Russell Crowe.
CLUE 2: Count the number of animals on the side facing the entrance. Subtract 6 to get B
Waypoint 3 N 55° 56.667 W 003° 11.133 The Pear Tree
Originally called West Nicolson House, this 18th century house was built by William Reid, a wealthy merchant. Originally he would have had a clear view over the Meadows to Bruntsfield prior to the feuing of Marchmont and Sciennes. Later owners include Sir James Fergusson (Lord of Session, died 1759); Thomas Blacklock (poet, who very likely entertained Robert Burns here) and Andrew Usher (born in this house 1826, founder of the brewing and distilling dynasty). In 1982 the building was converted into the Pear Tree pub. Yes: there really is a pear tree, growing up the front of the house.
CLUE 3: Find the date high up above the main door. Add the first and last digits together to get 1C
Waypoint 4 N 55° 56.655' W 3° 11.153 The Flowers O’ The Forest
At the corner of Buccleuch Place and Windmill Street there is a plaque on the wall dedicated to Alison Cockburn. She was a great socialite and entertainer, was acquainted with Robert Burns, David Hume, Walter Scott and many others, but she detested Bonnie Prince Charlie. She wrote the words to Flowers of the Forest, a traditional tune from the Borders. It is said that she was a great beauty, and her hair never turned grey in old age, although she did wear it combed over a toupee and secured with lace tied under her chin. The plaque is on the outside wall of Buccleuch Kirkyard, so once you’ve worked out the answer for clue 4, go and see if the gate is open, and try to find her grave, in the corner, near that of the poet Blacklock. The churchyard belongs to Buccleuch Parish Church, originally known as St Cuthbert’s Chapel of Ease. (nothing to do with having a rest: the name refers to having to build another building to ‘ease’ the overcrowding in the original one, St Cuthberts, at the corner of Princes St and Lothian Road). It was opened in 1756. Have a look also for the grave of the infamous Deacon Brodie, cabinet maker, councilman, burglar, womaniser and gambler, and probably the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Jekyll and Hide’. Hanged at the Tolbooth in 1788 from a gibbet that he himself had designed! Let me know if you find the grave, because I couldn’t: I think it is deliberately unmarked as he was such a notorious criminal. Also buried here is Charles Darwin: not ‘THE’ Charles Darwin who wrote the Origin of Species, this one is his uncle, who died in 1778 at the tragically young age of 20. The carving on his tombstone was organised by his friend James Hutton, the ‘father’ of modern geology.
Did you wonder about the name Windmill Street? Well: in this graveyard there was indeed once a windmill; it pumped water up from the Borough Loch (which was drained to form the Meadows) to be used for brewing.
The original words were written to lament the fallen of Culloden. I like this version: The Corries at Flodden Field
and also this one: Isla St Clair sings 'Flowers o' the Forest'
CLUE 4: There are 2 dates on the plaque. D= the third digit.
Waypoint 5 N55° 56.622' W003° 11.100 GUSE DUB
Cross the road to the triangular shaped island made by the junction of Buccleuch St and West Crosscauseway. Guse Dub (translation: ‘goose pond’) was a pond where geese, ducks and swans swam around and there was a public well. It was known to exist as far back as Roman times, as this road may have been a Roman route to the city. It is mentioned by Sir Walter Scott’s writing about his childhood; he grew up in nearby George Square.
CLUE 5: How many large BLACK plant containers are there on the island? Divide this by 3 to get E
Waypoint 6 N 55° 56.539 W 003° 11.051 ARCHER’S HALL
This is the home of the Ancient Royal Company of Archers. If you are a fan of ‘the Da Vinci Code’, you will have heard of St Clair of Roslin; it was he who laid the foundation stone. They began as a private club in 1676. The building was used as a tavern and place for dancing and dining, but they were quite fussy about who they let in. However this ‘social’ side of the club later moved to other premises. The existing charter of the Archers was granted by Queen Anne under the Great Seal of Scotland, the date being 6th March, 1704. Besides ratifying the old laws, the charter empowers the members to convene in military fashion "by way of weapon shaw" under their own officers. They are to meet "at least once every year about midsummer to shoot arrows with a bow at a butt." As an encouragement the Magistrates of Edinburgh presented a silver arrow which is shot for annually.
In 1822 they were appointed to be the official ceremonial bodyguard of the monarch in Scotland. Past members include Sir Walter Scott and the artist Henry Raeburn. The club is still active, has about 400 members, mostly members of the Scottish nobility. It used to have a bowling green behind it! Redevelopment into contemporary student accommodation has since taken place in the grounds, but the archery practice butts and the main house are still in use by the Company of Archers.
Don’t bother applying for membership: you have to wait to be invited!
CLUE 6: There are two dates on the coat of arms above the door. The last digit will give you F
Waypoint 7 N 55° 56.480 W 003° 10.868 THE QUEEN’S HALL
A music venue in Clerk St. This building was originally built in 1823 as Hope Park Chapel, another ‘overspill’ of St Cuthbert’s. It has gone through several name changes and uses, and has been called Newington Parish Church, Newington and St Leonard’s Church, and finally closed for religious use in 1976. In 1979, it became a concert hall, and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II agreed to have it renamed as the Queen’s Hall. Sir Peedieduke has enjoyed many jazz concerts here, but Peedieduchess finds the upstairs pew seating very uncomfortable.
CLUE 7: Look at the side of building on the left and count the number of window panes to give you 3G
For the avoidance of doubt, you need to stand at the main gate, facing the main entrance, to get the correct answer. Watch out for open windows!
Waypoint 8 N55° 56.486' W003° 10.726 NELSON HALL
This is the home of the Southside Community Centre and adult education courses. It also houses a small Southside Museum. It was built in 1913 by Thomas Nelson jr with the aim "to which persons of the working class and others can go to sit, read, write, converse and otherwise occupy themselves". This Thomas Nelson was a descendent of the huge publishing firm, formed in 1798, which grew to have offices in London, Edinburgh and the USA. The Edinburgh HQ in Hope Park was destroyed by fire in 1878; the 2 pillars at the east end of Melville Drive were erected by Nelsons as a thank you to the citizens of Edinburgh for their assistance. Find the noticeboard just behind the railings at the side of the building.
CLUE 8: Who did the original drawings? H= number of letters in her first name
There's a small park nearby where you can sit down to sort out your answers and calculate the final location. PLEASE read the information in the geochecker: the final location is a very busy place so to help avoid being muggled I've given a pretty precise hint.
I hope you have enjoyed your Sally into the Southside of Edinburgh, and perhaps you’ve gleaned a little information about the history of this elegant suburb.
The cache can be found at:
N 55° 56.ABC W 3° DE.FGH
Cyclists: you can cycle the whole route if you don't mind busy roads
Wheelers: the route is suitable for you, although there are several road crossings without dropped pavements. You may need assistance to retrieve the final container.
