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 afterward

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

1330: Wall between High Street and Cowgate is first mentioned; 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 new tron (weigh beam)

1367: David II begins work on major fortifications at 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 tolbooth

1387: Five new chapels are added to St Giles following English damage in 1385; St Giles is 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 is burnt at the stake

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

’’’1823’‘‘: The Bannatyne Club is founded

’’’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’‘‘: Burke of Burke and Hare is tried for murder

’’’1829’‘‘: Burke is hanged

’’’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)

’’’1864-1870’‘‘: 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 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 is also built

1905: Moray House in Canongate becomes a teacher training centre

1905-1906: 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 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