Edinburgh Audio Tour: Legends, Vaults, and Furry Tales of Old Town

Stops on this tour

1. location_on

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   South Bridge Vaults

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   Right in front of you, you’ll spot a low, arched stone chamber built from rough, gray bricks-look for the pair of numbered niches in the wall and the vaulted, cave-like ceiling;…Read moreShow less

   Right in front of you, you’ll spot a low, arched stone chamber built from rough, gray bricks-look for the pair of numbered niches in the wall and the vaulted, cave-like ceiling; you know you’ve found the Vaults when you feel like you’ve discovered the entrance to a hidden underworld right beneath your feet! Welcome to the Edinburgh Vaults-a hidden world that once bustled with more life (and trouble) than most castles above ground! Imagine it’s the late 1700s, horse hooves clattering overhead as South Bridge, Edinburgh’s very first purpose-built shopping street, rises triumphantly over the Cowgate below. But while everyone above is selling hats and haggis, below your feet, within these chambers carved into the bridge’s stone arches, a secret city is awakening. Squeeze your eyes shut and picture yourself here when these vaults were in their prime. The tunnels stretch into pitch darkness, walls slick with damp, and the cool air smells earthy and ancient. At first, these vaults served as the workshops and storage spaces for the merchants just trying to make an honest shilling. Look to your left-imagine a cobbler hunched over a leather boot, hammering away, his lantern glimmering off the wet stones. At times, over 120 separate rooms like this echoed with the sounds of industry. But all was not well. The South Bridge was built so quickly, the stones never sealed properly, and soon the vaults became more marsh than market. The merchants were not pleased, so by the 1820s, as the damp closed in and the air turned rank, the good folk took their boots and barrels and scarpered! But the darkness didn’t empty for long. Into these abandoned caverns came Edinburgh’s poorest, crowding into the cramped, dripping rooms. Families huddled together-sometimes ten people to a vault-in spaces no bigger than a modern bedroom, with only fish oil lamps to cut through the gloom. The ground squelched underfoot, and the air was so thick with the stink from chamber pots and stale waste, you could practically chew it! Now, with no sunlight and not a single window, these vaults grew even shadier. Thieves, rascals, and gamblers found the dark corners perfect for mischief. If you listen carefully, you might still hear the roll of illegal dice or the fizz of an illicit whisky distillery. In fact, one day in 1815, when the authorities raided a secret distillery hidden behind a fireplace grate, they found secret doors, trapdoors, pipes running water for the whisky, and smoke chimneys as cleverly disguised as a magician’s sleeve trick. And if you’ve ever heard the legend of bodysnatchers lurking here to stash their grisly cargo, you wouldn’t be alone. Folks used to whisper that infamous serial killers like Burke and Hare used the Vaults as a morgue for bodies meant for the dissecting tables at the medical school. But let’s set the record straight-there’s more shadow than fact to that story, so the only chills you’ll get down here are from the stones and the tales rather than anything more… anatomical! By the mid-1800s, even the city’s down-and-outs abandoned ship, fleeing the filth for slightly better misery elsewhere. People forgot these vaults existed until, in the late 1980s, a Scottish rugby player named Norrie Rowan accidentally rediscovered them. In a real spine-tingling twist, Rowan used one of these secret tunnels to help a Romanian rugby player escape from his country’s secret police-proving the Vaults still had a touch of thrill left centuries on. A team led by Rowan and his son spent years clearing out tons of rubble here. What did they find? Ancient oyster shells (apparently 1800s Edinburgh had a real taste for seafood), toy dolls, old medicine bottles, broken plates-tiny echoes of the lives once lived and lost in these stony bowels. What about today? Well, you’re not the only brave soul wandering these dark corners! The Vaults are now famous for ghost tours. Sometimes, during festivals, these echoing rooms fill with laughter, music, and shows, as venues like The Caves transform them into lively event spaces. But don’t be surprised if you catch a shiver-after all, the old stones have soaked up a lot of secrets, and some say a few souls never left. Ghost hunters and TV crews claim they’ve heard whispers, sudden thuds, and even the sound of children shouting when no living soul was around. So, standing here, take a moment. You’re not just outside a forgotten chamber-you’re above a warren of stories, some sad, some spooky, some heroic, and all distinctly Edinburgh. If you feel a chill at your feet or hear a knock behind the stone, well, now you know: it might just be history, tapping to remind you it’s not done with this place yet. Ready for the next stop, or would you rather stay and see if the vaults have any stories left to whisper to you?

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2. location_on

   2

   South Bridge Vaults

   play_arrowPreview
   Right in front of you, you’ll spot a low, arched stone chamber built from rough, gray bricks-look for the pair of numbered niches in the wall and the vaulted, cave-like ceiling;…Read moreShow less

   Right in front of you, you’ll spot a low, arched stone chamber built from rough, gray bricks-look for the pair of numbered niches in the wall and the vaulted, cave-like ceiling; you know you’ve found the Vaults when you feel like you’ve discovered the entrance to a hidden underworld right beneath your feet! Welcome to the Edinburgh Vaults-a hidden world that once bustled with more life (and trouble) than most castles above ground! Imagine it’s the late 1700s, horse hooves clattering overhead as South Bridge, Edinburgh’s very first purpose-built shopping street, rises triumphantly over the Cowgate below. But while everyone above is selling hats and haggis, below your feet, within these chambers carved into the bridge’s stone arches, a secret city is awakening. Squeeze your eyes shut and picture yourself here when these vaults were in their prime. The tunnels stretch into pitch darkness, walls slick with damp, and the cool air smells earthy and ancient. At first, these vaults served as the workshops and storage spaces for the merchants just trying to make an honest shilling. Look to your left-imagine a cobbler hunched over a leather boot, hammering away, his lantern glimmering off the wet stones. At times, over 120 separate rooms like this echoed with the sounds of industry. But all was not well. The South Bridge was built so quickly, the stones never sealed properly, and soon the vaults became more marsh than market. The merchants were not pleased, so by the 1820s, as the damp closed in and the air turned rank, the good folk took their boots and barrels and scarpered! But the darkness didn’t empty for long. Into these abandoned caverns came Edinburgh’s poorest, crowding into the cramped, dripping rooms. Families huddled together-sometimes ten people to a vault-in spaces no bigger than a modern bedroom, with only fish oil lamps to cut through the gloom. The ground squelched underfoot, and the air was so thick with the stink from chamber pots and stale waste, you could practically chew it! Now, with no sunlight and not a single window, these vaults grew even shadier. Thieves, rascals, and gamblers found the dark corners perfect for mischief. If you listen carefully, you might still hear the roll of illegal dice or the fizz of an illicit whisky distillery. In fact, one day in 1815, when the authorities raided a secret distillery hidden behind a fireplace grate, they found secret doors, trapdoors, pipes running water for the whisky, and smoke chimneys as cleverly disguised as a magician’s sleeve trick. And if you’ve ever heard the legend of bodysnatchers lurking here to stash their grisly cargo, you wouldn’t be alone. Folks used to whisper that infamous serial killers like Burke and Hare used the Vaults as a morgue for bodies meant for the dissecting tables at the medical school. But let’s set the record straight-there’s more shadow than fact to that story, so the only chills you’ll get down here are from the stones and the tales rather than anything more… anatomical! By the mid-1800s, even the city’s down-and-outs abandoned ship, fleeing the filth for slightly better misery elsewhere. People forgot these vaults existed until, in the late 1980s, a Scottish rugby player named Norrie Rowan accidentally rediscovered them. In a real spine-tingling twist, Rowan used one of these secret tunnels to help a Romanian rugby player escape from his country’s secret police-proving the Vaults still had a touch of thrill left centuries on. A team led by Rowan and his son spent years clearing out tons of rubble here. What did they find? Ancient oyster shells (apparently 1800s Edinburgh had a real taste for seafood), toy dolls, old medicine bottles, broken plates-tiny echoes of the lives once lived and lost in these stony bowels. What about today? Well, you’re not the only brave soul wandering these dark corners! The Vaults are now famous for ghost tours. Sometimes, during festivals, these echoing rooms fill with laughter, music, and shows, as venues like The Caves transform them into lively event spaces. But don’t be surprised if you catch a shiver-after all, the old stones have soaked up a lot of secrets, and some say a few souls never left. Ghost hunters and TV crews claim they’ve heard whispers, sudden thuds, and even the sound of children shouting when no living soul was around. So, standing here, take a moment. You’re not just outside a forgotten chamber-you’re above a warren of stories, some sad, some spooky, some heroic, and all distinctly Edinburgh. If you feel a chill at your feet or hear a knock behind the stone, well, now you know: it might just be history, tapping to remind you it’s not done with this place yet. Ready for the next stop, or would you rather stay and see if the vaults have any stories left to whisper to you?

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3. location_on

   3

   Greyfriars Bobby Statue

   play_arrowPreview
   Right in front of you, you’ll spot a polished granite fountain with an octagonal base, and perched proudly on top is a lifelike bronze statue of a small, shaggy dog-Greyfriars…Read moreShow less

   Right in front of you, you’ll spot a polished granite fountain with an octagonal base, and perched proudly on top is a lifelike bronze statue of a small, shaggy dog-Greyfriars Bobby-who looks ready to leap down and greet you at any moment. Now, let me take you back to Edinburgh in the late 1800s, where the streets were full of the clatter of carts and the damp, earthy smells of old stone. Among all the hustle and bustle, there was one dog who stole everyone’s hearts-a little Skye Terrier named Bobby. What made Bobby special, you ask? Well, here’s where the tissues might come in handy! Bobby belonged to a man named John Gray, and when John passed away, he was buried just nearby in Greyfriars Kirkyard. Instead of finding a new home, Bobby decided he would spend every single day-rain, gloom, or that classic Scottish mist-watching over his master’s grave. Can you imagine, fourteen years of loyalty, with the little dog faithfully guarding the resting spot come summer sun or winter snow? It’s enough to melt the stoniest of Edinburgh hearts. The tale became so famous that Lady Burdett-Coutts, one of the Victorian era’s most influential animal lovers, commissioned this very fountain you see. She roped in William Brodie, who was already busy making grand heroes for the Scott Monument, but let’s face it-no statue he worked on was ever quite as charming as this tail-wagging sentinel. The statue was actually made from life, with Bobby himself as the model. The granite basin below was once a working fountain where locals and their dogs could get a drink, and if you peer closely, you’ll spot bronze plaques and even the remains of drinking cups once chained to the side. Funny enough, you might notice Bobby’s nose is looking rather shiny-thanks to visitors giving it a rub for good luck. Edinburgh Council frowns on this tradition though, so maybe let’s just give Bobby a friendly wave instead. After all, we don’t want to wear down the brave little chap’s nose. This may be Edinburgh’s smallest listed building, but it’s got one of the city’s biggest hearts!

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