Edinburgh/Timelines

This represents a timeline of the history of Edinburgh, up to the present day.

1-999

Late 1st century: Roman brooch and fine pottery from this period have been found

c638: The Gododdin are defeated and the site is captured by Edwin of Northumbria

731: Edinburgh is possibly the town of Guidi mentioned by Bede

854: The first St Giles kirk is founded

960: Edinburgh temporarily falls into Scottish hands

1000-1099

1020: Malcolm II permanently annexes Edinburgh to Scotland

1074: Refortification of the castle and city begins under Malcolm III

1093: Queen Margaret dies at fort on "hill of Agned", regarded as a royal castle - St Margaret's chapel is built soon after.

1100-1199

1114: Infant Scottish heir Malcolm is murdered by a priest

1124 or 1127: First documentary evidence of a "church of the community or burgh of Edin"

c1125: David I founds burgh

1128: David I founds Holyrood Abbey

1162: Edinburgh is the caput of the Lothian sheriffdom

1200-1299

1230: Alexander II founds large Dominican friary; a hospital is also open

1274: Lothian is an archdeaconry of St Andrews

1296: Edinburgh is again held by the English, and strongly fortified

1300-1399

1314: Edinburgh castle captured by Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray

1326-1331: Edinburgh's contribution to Scottish burgh taxes is 15%, half that of Aberdeen

1328: A treaty is signed guaranteeing Scottish independence

1329: Robert the Bruce makes the town a burgh, and establishes a port at Leith

1330: Wall between High Street and Cowgate is first mentioned; the castle is demolished by David II

1334: Scotland loses major port of Berwick to the English, Edinburgh's importance increases

1341: Scots regain castle from English

1360: Edinburgh has almost 4,000 houses, and is regarded as the nation's capital; the castle is the usual royal residence, being strengthened in stone

1364: David II grants ground for building of a new tron (weigh beam)

1367: David II begins work on major fortifications at the castle

1371: David II dies unexpectedly at the castle

1384: Duke of Lancaster extorts ransom following end of truce

1386: Robert II grants ground for building a tolbooth

1387: Five new chapels are added to St Giles' after English damage in 1385; St Giles' is the High Kirk

1400-1499

’’’1400’‘‘: Henry IV attempts to storm castle when Robert III refuses homage

’’’1437’‘‘: Edinburgh becomes the capital of Scotland

’’’1440’‘‘: The Earl of Douglas and his brother are murdered at the castle by William Crichton

’’’1440s’‘‘: Edinburgh has 47% of Scottish wool trade

c1449’‘‘: Cordiners (shoemakers) is incorporated

’’’1450’‘‘: There is a defensive wall around the city

’’’1455-1458’‘‘: Greyfriars (Franciscan) friary is founded

’’’1457’‘‘: The 508mm siege gun "Mons Meg" is received at castle; there are goldsmiths in the city

’’’1458’‘‘: Edinburgh has one of three supreme courts in the country

Pre-1460’‘‘: Trinity is a collegiate church

’’’1467-1469’‘‘: St Giles' gains collegiate status, a provost and fourteen prebendaries are established

’’’1474-1475’‘‘: Skinner and weaver crafts become guilds incorporated by the town council

’’’1477’‘‘: All fifteen of Edinburgh's markets are arranged along the length of the High Street

’’’1479’‘‘: A hospital is set up in Leith Wynd

’’’1482’‘‘: The Earls of Atholl and Buchan agree to free James III

’’’1483’‘‘: The Hammermen (smiths) are incorporated

’’’1485’‘‘: There is a notary in the Canongate; stone tenements appear in the city

’’’1490’‘‘: The Franciscan friary closes

1500-1599

’’’1500’‘‘: Edinburgh pays 60% of Scotland's customs revenue

’’’1503’‘‘: James IV marries Margaret Tudor

’’’1505’‘‘: Royal College of Surgeons founded

’’’1507’‘‘: James IV grants a patent for the first printing press in Scotland to Walter Chapman and Andrew Myllar

’’’1513’‘‘: Defeat at Flodden leads to a new southern wall being begun

’’’1520’‘‘: Archibald Douglas, [Earl of Angus, seizes control of the city; Edinburgh is the "seat of courts of justice"

’’’1523’‘‘: City has fourteen craft guilds

’’’1528’‘‘: James V enters city with an army, to assert his right to rule; Holyrood Palace is built for him

’’’1530’‘‘: There are 288 brewers known as 'alewives' in the city, one for every forty people

’’’1532’‘‘: Holyrood Abbey is transformed into a royal palace; the Court of Session is built

’’’1534’‘‘: Norman Gourlay and David Stratton are burnt as heretics

’’’1535-1556’‘‘: Edinburgh contributes over 40% of Scotland's burgh taxation

’’’1537’‘‘: Jane Douglas, Lady of Glamis is burned at the stake for witchcraft and for conspiring to poison King James V.

’’’1542’‘‘: Cardinal Beaton is chosen as chief ruler of the city council

’’’1544’‘‘: Earl of Hertford burns the city; Holyrood Palace and abbey burn

’’’1547’‘‘: The English destroy Edinburgh again

’’’1558’‘‘: Riots break out over French prosecution of Protestants; the Flodden Wall is complete; Edinburgh's population is about 12,000; there are 367 merchants, and 400 craftsmen

’’’1559’‘‘: John Knox is appointed minister of St Giles' church

’’’1560’‘‘: English and French troops to withdraw under Treaty of Edinburgh; [[Reformation’‘‘: 40 altars, aisles, and pillars are dedicated to different saints in St Giles'

’’’1565’‘‘: Mary Queen of Scots marries Lord Darnley, Henry Stuart

’’’1566’‘‘: Mary is held captive in Holyrood Palace; David Rizzio is stabbed

’’’1567’‘‘: Darnley is assassinated at Kirk o' Field House; James Hepburn is cleared of the murder

’’’1569’‘‘: The city is hit by an outbreak of the plague

’’’1573’‘‘: A pro-Mary garrison is ousted from the castle by the regent, the Earl of Moray

’’’1574’‘‘: The castle's Half-Moon Battery is built; there are seven mills in Edinburgh

Late 1570s’‘‘: Edinburgh now has 4 ministers, previously it had only one

’’’1579’‘‘: James VI makes his state entry

’’’1580s’‘‘: There are some 400 merchants in Edinburgh

’’’1581’‘‘: James Douglas is executed for complicity in the murder of Lord Darnley

’’’1582’‘‘: The University of Edinburgh is founded and given a royal charter - it is the fourth university in Scotland

’’’1583’‘‘: There are an estimated 500 merchants and 500 craftsmen in the city, of which 250 are tailors

’’’1586’‘‘: Skinners and goldsmiths form their own companies (previously part of the Company of Hammermen)

’’’1591’‘‘: Francis Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell escapes from imprisonment in castle

’’’1592’‘‘: Earl of Moray murdered by catholic Earl of Huntly; the presbytery takes the first Edinburgh [[census’‘‘: there are c8,000 adults, split evenly between north and south of the High Street

’’’1593’‘‘: Earl of Bothwell take over at Holyrood Palace

’’’1594’‘‘: Earl of Bothwell fails to seize city

’’’1596’‘‘: Clergy demand arms to defend king and church against "papists"

1600-1699

’’’1600’‘‘: There are twelve roads out of Edinburgh

’’’1602’‘‘: Greyfriars Kirk is begun

’’’1603’‘‘: The headquarters of the Scottish Post Office is in Edinburgh - there is another post office in the Canongate; William Mayne makes golf clubs for James VI;

’’’1604’‘‘: The Laird of MacGregor and fourteen others are hanged for the Colquhoun massacre

’’’1610’‘‘: First factories spring up in Dalry

’’’1610-1621’‘‘: Andrew Hart is a busy publisher; they publish Napier's book of logs

’’’1613’‘‘: Lord Maxwell is hanged for the murder of the Laird of Johnstone

’’’1615’‘‘: The Earl of Orkney is executed after a rebellion to overthrow James VI

’’’1617’‘‘: Gladstone's Land, 6-storey tenement in Lawnmarket, expanded (built originally in 1550s);

’’’1618’‘‘: Some seven-storey buildings have been built in the city; its population is c25,000, with about 475 merchants

’’’1619’‘‘: The privy council orders the city to clean up its streets; a hospital built in 1479 becomes a workhouse

’’’1621’‘‘: Edinburgh and Leith pay 44% of Scottish non-wine customs duty, and 66% of wine duty

’’’1624’‘‘: Edinburgh is hit by a plague epidemic

c1625’‘‘: Tailor's Hall is built in the Cowgate

’’’1628-1693’‘‘: Heriot's Hospital is built

’’’1632’‘‘: Work begins on Parliament House to house the Parliament of Scotland

’’’1633’‘‘: Edinburgh is designated a new bishopric; Charles I of England offends Presbyterians at crowning ceremony at St Giles' Cathedral

’’’1636’‘‘: The construction of the Tron Church is begun; the city's population is c.30,000

’’’1637’‘‘: Introduction of new Prayer Book causes riots; a supplication is delivered to remove bishops from the privy council

’’’1639’‘‘: Decisions of Glasgow assembly are ratified

’’’1640’‘‘: Parliament House is completed

’’’1641’‘‘: Sir Robert Sibbald, later the Geographer Royal, is born

’’’1642 or 1645’‘‘: Mary King's Close is abandoned

’’’1647’‘‘: A well-known map of the city is drawn by Rothiemay; the Tron Kirk is completed

’’’1649’‘‘: Covenanters execute royalist Marquis of Huntly; the town Corporation buys the area around West Port

’’’1650’‘‘: James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose, is hanged; the castle surrenders to Oliver Cromwell's men; James Colquhoun builds early [[fire apparatus|fire engines’‘‘: one for Edinburgh, one for Glasgow

’’’1650s’‘‘: A new church is built in the Canongate

’’’1652’‘‘: A 'journey coach' to London is introduced - it takes a fortnight to make the journey

’’’1653’‘‘: English forces break up the General Assembly

’’’1655’‘‘: A council of state is set up; ministers yield to the English

’’’1660’‘‘: A committee of estates resumes government of Scotland

’’’1661’‘‘: Thomas Sydserf produces the first Scottish newspaper; Archibald Campbell, Earl of Argyll, is executed

’’’1663’‘‘: The former Covenanter Archibald Johnston is executed

’’’1667’‘‘: The privy council empowers magnates to police the highlands

’’’1670’‘‘: Water is piped into the city from Comiston Springs

’’’1670s’‘‘: Butchering of animals moves from the Grassmarket to Dalkeith

’’’1671’‘‘: John Law is born - he set up the national bank of France.

’’’1675’‘‘: Robert Sibbald co-founds physic garden planted at Holyrood

’’’1677’‘‘: The first coffee house opens in the city

’’’1678’‘‘: The first stagecoaches run to Glasgow

’’’1681’‘‘: Robert Sibbald founds Royal College of Physicians, whose patron is the Duke of York; Viscount Stair publishes his Institutions of the Laws of Scotland

’’’1682’‘‘: Sir George Mackenzie founds Advocates' Library - patron the Duke of York - forerunner to the National Library of Scotland

’’’1688’‘‘: Royal government collapses as Chancellor Perth flees

’’’1690s’‘‘: Lawyers have more wealth than all merchants and craftsmen in the burgh combined; over 20% of the population is in manufacturing

’’’1694’‘‘: There are more professionals than merchants in Edinburgh; 200 legals (advocates to lawyers), 24 surgeons, and 33 physicians; other occupations include aleseller, executioner, royal trumpeter, and keeper of the signet; the ratio of sexes in the city is 70 males:100 females - there are over 5000 domestic servants in Edinburgh

’’’1697’‘‘: Thomas Aikenhead is executed for blasphemy

1700-1799

’’’1700’‘‘: A severe fire leads to new buildings, built in stone; the estimated population is 60,000

’’’1702’‘‘: Advocates' Library moved from Faculty of Advocates to Parliament House

’’’1706’‘‘: Framework knitters from Haddington are working in Edinburgh

’’’1707’‘‘: Act of Union

’’’1711’‘‘: David Hume, philosopher, is born

’’’1713’‘‘: The main radial roads into Edinburgh are turnpiked

’’’1715’‘‘: Jacobites fail to take castle

’’’1718’‘‘: Edinburgh Evening Courant newspaper is launched; damasks are woven at Drumsheugh

’’’1720s’‘‘: Daniel Defoe praises the Royal Mile, decries Tolbooth or prison, notes sales of woollens, linens, drapery and mercery

’’’1722’‘‘: The Signet Library is founded

’’’1726’‘‘: The first circulating library is established; a medical school at the city's college is founded; James Hutton, geologist, is born

’’’1729’‘‘: The city's first infirmary is opened

’’’1733’‘‘: Alexander Munro, discoverer of lymphatic and nervous systems, is born

’’’1735’‘‘: Golf is played on Bruntsfield links; also the traditional date the Royal Burgess Golfing Society is founded

’’’1736’‘‘: The Royal Infirmary is incorporated; riots shake the city

’’’1737’‘‘: The Lord Provost is ousted following the riots

’’’1738’‘‘: Edinburgh is described as the "world's leading medical centre"; John Watson's College is founded

’’’1739’‘‘: The Scots Magazine is first published in the city

’’’1740’‘‘: There are four printing firms in Edinburgh; the biographer James Boswell is born

’’’1744’‘‘: The first premises at Fountainbridge are built, with more than five looms

’’’1745’‘‘: Charles Edward Stuart enters the city

’’’1746’‘‘: The British Linen Company is formed

’’’1747’‘‘: A theatre is established at Playhouse Close in the Canongate

’’’1749’‘‘: A stagecoach service opens between Edinburgh and Glasgow

’’’1750’‘‘: A ropery is established in the city

’’’1751’‘‘: A survey shows a severe state of dilapidation in the Old Town

’’’1752’‘‘: Proposals are heard for new public buildings and bridges

’’’1753’‘‘: Stagecoach services are introduced to London (taking two weeks)

’’’1754’‘‘: The Select Society is founded

’’’1757-1770’‘‘: Linen weaving works in Canongate

’’’1758’‘‘: Stagecoach services are introduced to Newcastle (taking one week)

’’’1760’‘‘: First school for deaf children opens; the main linen stamping office is in the city

’’’1760s’‘‘: Woollen cloth is beetled in a lapping house in Edinburgh

’’’1761’‘‘: The Bruntsfield Golfing Society is formed

’’’1763’‘‘: Construction of the North Bridge, designed by Robert Adam, begins; a four-horse coach runs to Glasgow three times a week

’’’1765’‘‘: The Glasgow coach now runs daily

’’’1766’‘‘: The competition to design the New Town is won by James Craig

’’’1767’‘‘: Construction of the New Town begins

’’’1770’‘‘: The British Linen Company switches to banking; the Heriot Brewery starts

’’’1770s’‘‘: There are 27 competing printing firms in the city

’’’1771’‘‘: Sir Walter Scott is born

’’’1772’‘‘: Construction of the North Bridge is completed

’’’1773 or 1777’‘‘: Penny-post service begins

’’’1775’‘‘: A directory of brothels and prostitutes is published; Edinburgh's estimated population is c57,000

’’’1777’‘‘: 8 legal and 400 illegal distilleries in the city

’’’1781’‘‘: The Mound road is opened

’’’1782’‘‘: The voting system is criticised by Thomas McGrugar in "Letters of Zeno"

’’’1784’‘‘: Meeting discusses corrupt electoral system

’’’1785-1786’‘‘: Stone bridge at Stockbridge

’’’1786-1788’‘‘: The South Bridge is built

’’’1788’‘‘: William "Deacon" Brodie is executed - leader of a gang of robbers; the first stone of Edinburgh University's Old College is laid

’’’1792’‘‘: The Friends of the People Society meets for the first time; Charlotte Square designed by Robert Adam

’’’1793’‘‘: Thomas Muir of Huntershill, a radical reformer, is arrested and sentenced

’’’1794’‘‘: Robert Watt, a former spy, is sentenced to death for "Pike Plot"

’’’1799’‘‘: City has access to 3 million litres of water a day

1800-1899

’’’1800’‘‘: Charlotte Square is completed; Stein's large Canongate brewery is built

c1800’‘‘: National Museum of Antiquities is established

’’’1802’‘‘: The Edinburgh Review is published, offering literary criticism

’’’1802-1806’‘‘: The Bank of Scotland head office is built

’’’1803’‘‘: Dorothy Wordsworth stays in the "White Hart" inn in the Grassmarket

’’’1814’‘‘: A protest meeting against West Indian slavery is held; two coaches a day run to Stirling

’’’1816-1819’‘‘: Regent Bridge is built

’’’1817’‘‘: Coal gas supplies are available in the city; coal fires lose popularity; the old tolbooth in Waterloo Place is demolished

’’’1818’‘‘: The Union Canal is begun; Calton Hill observatory is founded by the Edinburgh Astronomical Association

’’’1819’‘‘: Five coaches a day run between Edinburgh and Glasgow

’’’1820’‘‘: There are protests at George IV's treatment of Queen Caroline

’’’1822’‘‘: King George IV visits Edinburgh and wears the kilt; the first Highland and Agricultural Show takes place

’’’1823’‘‘: The Bannatyne Club is founded by Sir Walter Scott to publish rare works of Scottish interest in history, poetry, or literature. It published 116 volumes before being dissolved in 1861.

’’’1824’‘‘: A large fire destroys many buildings

’’’1825’‘‘: Eight Royal Mail coaches and over fifty stage coaches leave Edinburgh each day

’’’1826’‘‘: The Royal Scottish Academy is founded

’’’1828’‘‘: William Burke is tried for murder, to supply bodies for anatomical dissection

’’’1829’‘‘: Burke is hanged and his body given for anatomical dissection

’’’1831’‘‘: The Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway opens (known as The Innocent Railway), as railways start to come to the city

’’’1832’‘‘: A cholera outbreak occurs in the city; The Scotsman newspaper incorporates the Caledonian Mercury

’’’1833’‘‘: The city goes bankrupt; partly due to the development of Leith docks

’’’1835’‘‘: Edinburgh's New Town is completed, and the Old Town becomes a slum

’’’1836’‘‘: The Royal Institution opens, designed by William Playfair

’’’1840’‘‘: Barnard's Canongate brewery is expanded

’’’1841-1851’‘‘: Donaldson's hospital for the deaf is built

’’’1842’‘‘: Edinburgh-Glasgow railway line is open to the public

’’’1843’‘‘: Disruption of the Church of Scotland

’’’1844-1846’‘‘: The Scott Monument is built

’’’1846’‘‘: The North British Railway company is established

’’’1847’‘‘: Alexander Graham Bell is born in the city; half Edinburgh's population attend the funeral of Thomas Chalmers

’’’1850’‘‘: The foundation stone of the Scottish National Gallery is laid; the Holyrood brewery is enlarged for the third time

’’’1851’‘‘: The British Linen Bank head office opens on St Andrews Square

’’’1853’‘‘: The Edinburgh Trades Council is established

’’’1856’‘‘: The burgh of Canongate becomes part of Edinburgh

’’’1859’‘‘: The National Gallery opens

’’’1860’‘‘: Bank of Scotland has 43 branches

’’’1861’‘‘: Industrial museum built beside university (now the Royal Museum)

’’’1864’‘‘:On 21st June, George Bryce ("The Ratho murderer") was hanged for the murder of Jane Seaton: the last public execution in Edinburgh.

’’’1864-1870’‘‘: Bank of Scotland head office re-designed and extended

’’’1865’‘‘: Report on city’s sanitation paints picture of degradation

’’’1867’‘‘: Scottish Women’s Suffrage Society holds meetings for first time

’’’1869’‘‘: Sophia Jex-Blake becomes the first female medical student

’’’1870’‘‘: Fettes College opens

’’’1870-1879’‘‘: New buildings for the Royal Infirmary

’’’1872’‘‘: Watt Institution and School of Arts begins to be built

’’’1875’‘‘: Royal Theatre destroyed by fire; Institute of Bankers founded

’’’1881’‘‘: Dean Distillery opens, converted from Dean Mills

’’’1882’‘‘: City brought to standstill by severe winter weather

’’’1883’‘‘: Chair of Celtic established at the university

’’’1885’‘‘: Watt Institution and School of Arts merges with George Heriot’s to become Heriot-Watt College

’’’1889’‘‘: City hit by earthquake; Charles Parnell granted freedom of the city

’’’1890’‘‘: Free public library opens to public

’’’1892’‘‘: Drybroughs’ brewery moves to Craigmillar; McVitie's devise ‘digestive biscuits’

’’’1896-1900’‘‘: Abbey brewery built by Robert Younger

1900-1999

1900: Stockbridge gains a library and hall; character actor Alistair Sim is born

1901: University appoints its first Professor of Scottish history; the Royal High School has 350 pupils

1902: Waverley Station is complete, covering 70,000 square metres; the North British Hotel opens (later to become the 'Balmoral')

1905: Moray House in Canongate becomes a teacher training centre

1905-1906: The "King’s Theatre" is built at Tollcross

1907: Work begins on constructing the Edinburgh College of Art

1910: First electric trams run; Bank of Scotland has 169 branches

1911: Palladium Cinema opens

1911-1914: Usher Hall is built

1912: La Scala Cinema opens

1916: Bank of Scotland has its first female employee

1916-1918: Tanks are built by Brown Brothers in the city

1921: Garrick Theatre burns down

1925: The National Library of Scotland is formed from the former Advocates’ Library

1928: The Flying Scotsman provides a fast rail link to London; the city’s first traffic lights are at Broughton Street

1932: George Watson’s College moves to Morningside

1932-1935: Edinburgh has headquarters for BBC Scotland

1936: 17% of Edinburgh’s houses are overcrowded

1939: The Bank of Scotland has 266 branches; the headquarters of Edinburgh Savings Bank is built

1943: The North Scotland Hydro-Electric Board is created, with its headquarters in Edinburgh

1946: A telephone upgrade takes place, allowing all-city dialling

1946-1947: Electric trams in the city carry 16 million passengers a month

1947: The Edinburgh International Festival is launched; restoration of Canongate

1949: The Abercrombie Plan introduces ring roads and a bypass

1950: Tram system begins to be run down

1951: 2 central (manual) phone exchanges handle over 9,500 lines

1952: Bank of Scotland takes over Union Bank of Scotland, giving 453 combined branches

1956: Whole tram system closes

1958: Queen receives last debutantes

1959: Old Town population declines to 2,000

1960: Infirmary Street baths are damaged by fire

1963: Evening Despatch and Edinburgh Evening News merge; Empire Theatre becomes bingo hall

1966: Heriot-Watt gains university status

1968: Palladium Theatre fails, and becomes a disco

1968-1969: Royal Bank of Scotland takes over National Commercial Bank of Scotland

1969: Bank of Scotland absorbs British Linen Bank; Tollcross Bus Depot closes

1970: The Commonwealth Games are held in the city; the St James’ Centre, including a new St Andrews House, is completed

1971: Tom Farmer starts Kwik-Fit

1972: A youth hostel opens at Eglington Crescent; Bell’s Mills are destroyed by an explosion

1974: David Murray, later connected with Glasgow Rangers, starts Murray International Metals

1976: A new Fountain Brewery is built by Scottish & Newcastle

1980: Debenhams open a Princes St store

1980s: Restoration of houses in the Old Town leads to a population increase in the area

1981: Royal Insurance Group headquarters moves to Glasgow

1985: The population of the city is 440,000

1989: The National Gallery of Scotland is renovated

1990: Edinburgh Castle is first, and Holyrood Palace eighth, in ranking of paid Scottish tourist attractions

1996: Infirmary St baths close

1998: The Museum of Scotland is built

1999: The Scottish Parliament is opened by the Queen

2000-2007

’’’2004’‘‘: The Scottish Parliament Building opens