West Bow
and
West Bow Well

The Foot of West Bow from the Grassmarket  -  2007

The foot of West Bow and West Bow Well  -  view from the Grassmarket

©  Copyright: Peter Stubbs  -   please contact peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                                                                                        Photograph taken: January 31, 2007

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       Foot of West Bow from the Grassmarket ©

 

West Bow

West Bow and Victoria Street

This view looks to from the Grassmarket towards the shops and houses in West Bow at the eastern end of the Grassmarket.

West bow used to be the only approach to Edinburgh Castle from the south.  It was a steep, winding street, but its upper part was replaced by Victoria Street when George IV Bridge was built in the early 19th century.

112 West Bow

I have been asked about 112 West Bow by three different people in the past month, January 2007.  West Bow is the address of the address of Edmonston's Close, the small arch that runs between the two white shops in the centre of the picture above.

Street Furniture

Also in this picture there are:

-  West Bow Well, dating from 1674.

  A sign on a small door on the western side of West Bow Well ©

-  An 'Edinburgh-style' Police Box  -  once used by the police, and also by the public for making emergency telephone calls.  Many of these boxes can still be found in the streets of Edinburgh.  Some of them have been converted to coffee kiosks.

Police Box converted to a snack bar at the corner of Morningside Road and Springvalley Gardens - June 2006 ©

-  A sign post with arms pointing to:

-  Museum of Scotland

-  Greyfriars' kirk

-  Magdelen Chapel

-  Flodden Wall

-  Castle Terrace Car Park.