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The Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany, Aubrey Burl

The Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany, Aubrey Burl

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<< Our Photo Pages >> Canongate Mercat Cross - Ancient Cross in Scotland in Midlothian

Submitted by Anne T on Wednesday, 09 October 2019  Page Views: 2112

Early Medieval (Dark Age)Site Name: Canongate Mercat Cross Alternative Name: Burgh Cross (Canongate); Canongate Kirk Cross
Country: Scotland County: Midlothian Type: Ancient Cross
Nearest Town: Edinburgh
Map Ref: NT2647273812
Latitude: 55.951689N  Longitude: 3.179046W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
4 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

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I have visited· I would like to visit

Anne T visited on 1st Oct 2019 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4 Canongate Mercat Cross: Again, we found this cross by chance by following the clues on the "Old Edinburgh Town" Treasure Trail, whilst looking for the answers to two clues within the churchyard. I am sure I annoyed my friend by stopping to photograph all the sites of ancient crosses and wells that we came across, as our 2 hour 'trail' took 4 hours (although this included a coffee and cake stop, too). Never really having explored Edinburgh Old Town, I was really surprised to find out how much, and how historic, Canongate and surrounding area is.

hevveh have visited here

Canongate Mercat Cross
Canongate Mercat Cross submitted by Anne T : Standing in the NE corner of the courtyard, looking SW to Canongate. The cross looks modern, but then Canmore (and British Listed Buildings) tell us that the octagonal cross shaft is original; the rest are 'modern' replacements. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Ancient Cross in Midlothian

This cross has a plaque affixed to its front, proudly announcing it is the "Canongate Mercat Cross, 1128". It is sited at the eastern side of Canongate Kirk, on Canongate, in a small railed courtyard to the northern side of the road, although it appears that the only original part left of this cross is its octagonal shaft.

Recorded as Canmore ID 52325, we are told the cross formerly stood at "the centre of the street opposite the Tolbooth" at NT 2642 7378, before that at NT 2643 7379, NT 2647 7381 and NT 2644 7379, before finally being moved to its current location since 1951. Canmore also adds that in 1888 the octagonal shaft of the cross was given a new base, capital and cross-head.

According to the Best of Edinburgh website, this is the original St John's Cross, although the locations and descriptions given by Canmore and British Listed Buildings indicate it is a different cross. This is verified by another website: The Royal Mile (Canongate) which says that there were historically three old crosses in Canongate - St John's, the ancient Market Cross, and the Girth Cross, nearer to Holyrood Palace.
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Canongate Mercat Cross
Canongate Mercat Cross submitted by Anne T : Close up of the head of the cross with its carvings, restored in 1888. The carvings are recorded as being the Canongate arms. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Canongate Mercat Cross
Canongate Mercat Cross submitted by Anne T : The plaque on the southern ide of the Canongate Cross. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Canongate Mercat Cross
Canongate Mercat Cross submitted by Anne T : Standing just to the SSW of the cross, near the railing of the courtyard with Canongate, looking north towards Regent's Terrace and Carlton Hill (Vote or comment on this photo)

Canongate Mercat Cross
Canongate Mercat Cross submitted by Anne T : Standing to the east of the cross, looking west-south-west towards the southern end of Canongate Kirk and Canongate road. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Canongate Mercat Cross
Canongate Mercat Cross submitted by Anne T : Standing in the SW corner of the small courtyard which houses this old Mercat cross, looking NE towards the Dunbar Close gardens, which are behind the building and stone wall behind the cross (a gloriously peaceful oasis in the busy city).

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 200m WSW 246° St John's Cross (Canongate)* Ancient Cross (NT2628873733)
 284m ENE 69° Girth Cross (Canongate)* Ancient Cross (NT2673973910)
 666m E 98° St Margaret's Well (Edinburgh)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NT2713373712)
 762m SE 135° Salisbury Crags* Promontory Fort / Cliff Castle (NT27007326)
 803m SW 232° National Museum of Scotland (Early Christian Stones)* Ancient Cross (NT2583273324)
 890m SW 233° National Museum of Scotland* Museum (NT2574873290)
 906m SW 235° National Museum of Scotland (Pictish Stones)* Museum (NT2572173302)
 998m SSW 208° Edinburgh Runestone* Carving (NT2598972937)
 1.1km E 98° St Anthony's Well (Edinburgh)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NT27527364)
 1.1km SSE 163° Slidey Stane (Holyrood Park)* Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature (NT2676672765)
 1.2km WSW 254° Stone of Scone* Marker Stone (NT253735)
 1.2km WSW 246° Grassmarket modern menhir* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NT25337333)
 1.3km WSW 245° The Portsburgh Stone* Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature (NT25287327)
 1.4km W 261° St Margaret's Well (Edinburgh Castle)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NT2508273613)
 1.5km SE 129° Arthur's Seat* Hillfort (NT27647282)
 1.6km SE 142° Samson's Ribs* Promontory Fort / Cliff Castle (NT27457250)
 1.8km ESE 110° Dunsapie Crag* Hillfort (NT28177316)
 1.9km ESE 110° Holyrood Park Stone (Edinburgh) Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature (NT28267313)
 2.0km ENE 70° St Triduana's Wellhouse* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NT2833274468)
 2.0km S 182° Penny Well (Edinburgh)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NT26367177)
 2.0km ESE 122° Delf Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NT282727)
 2.1km W 281° St Bernard's Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NT2445174247)
 2.1km W 276° St George's Well (Edinburgh)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NT2440174070)
 3.0km SW 220° The Bore Stone* Marker Stone (NT2450871568)
 3.3km SSE 162° Cat Stane (Inch)* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NT27457068)
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