St Gile's Church Church

High Street, Edinburgh

Royal Mile

St Gile's Church is in the High Street (part of Edinburgh's Royal Mile, situated opposite the Edinburgh City Chambers, between George IV Bridge and South Bridge.

Engraving from Nelson's Pictorial Guide Books  -  High Street and St Giles Church ©

Here are views from the roof of St Gile's Church, looking up and down the Royal mile.  I took these photos in 1992 while accompanying the Edinburgh clock winder Dougie Belam on his rounds.

Looking down the Royal Mile

towards the Tron Kirk

   Looking down the Royal Mile from the roof of St Gile's Church - 1992 ©

Looking up the Royal Mile

towards Edinburgh Castle

   Looking up the Royal Mile from the roof of St Gile's Church - 1992 ©

The photos were taken from a small metal balcony that led from the clock in St Giles, towards the High Street.

Clock

Here are  photos of the St Gile's clock.   The clock was made in 1912.  It replaced an 18th century clock that's now held by Edinburgh's Tolbooth Museum.

These photos were taken between 1992 and 1994:

Ritchie - Clock Winder at work at St Gile's Church - 1992 ©    The Clock at St Giles Church in the High Street, Edinburgh - 1993 ©    Ritchie - Clock Winder at work at St Gile's Church - 1992 ©

During my visit, it took the clock winder 20 minutes to wind the clock.  It has three handles:

-  one to wind the quarter hour chime,  which chimes 2, 4, 6 and 8 times.

-  one to wind the hourly chime

-  one to wind the clock mechanism.

In fact, despite the large clock mechanism, there are no clock faces on St Gile's church!

Bells

Looking up into the rafters above the clock mechanism, the old bells can be seen.  This photo was taken in 1992:

Bells in the tower of St Gile's Church in the High Street, Edinburgh ©

 

Ritchie St Gile's Church

 Edinburgh at Work

  

 

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