Leith and Ocean Terminal

Up reasonably sharp, and out into the garden to murder a few weeds, the wheelie bin is now overflowing - but activities cut short as we had to head for town.

Dropped off RGB at work while we popped out to Ingliston to visit friends before heading back to town, via Maybury , Barnton , Granton and along to Ocean Terminal.

I was just a bit hungry so we had a bite at Ma Potters, which was not bad.

There was a big ship in beside the Royal Yacht Britannia, the "LOGOS HOPE" which I later discovered was a former car ferry used in Germany / Scandinavia and now owned by a religious Organisation that travels the world holding conferences and conventions. It is leaving Edinburgh tomorrow and heading north , then over to Ireland and later in the year will be in the West Indies - quite interesting.

Bit of a wander through the shops and then up to the New Kirkgate, Leith , where I had another wander while Mrs. B. was visiting a friend

This part of Edinburgh is steeped in History, the Kirkgate was visited by Queen Victoria and there is a nice commemorative statue. The Lodge Trafalgar dates back to 1808 when it was chartered, used several premises, i.e. Potter Row, and then the present purpose built lodge was built in 1888. On the outside of the building there are many masonic marks relating to several degrees including all the working tools of the various office bearers. There is a good history on the web.

Then into the South Leith Parish Church yard which can be traced back to the 12th Century but with a more fuller history from 1483, and even in 1484 King James III donated 18 shillings to the funds.

Over the centuries the church was used as refuge, a prison and an armarie ( by Cromwell). In the graveyard the oldest grave I found was dated 1656. Robert Louis Stevenson even used the name off one of the graves as a character in his book "Kidnapped" (Frew) , while one of the other characters was found on a grave up on the Calton Hill

Across the road is Trinity House, which dates back to 1570 when it was a charity for mariners, it was eventually rebuilt in 1816 and is now a maritime museum holding some pieces over 600 years old. You have to remember that the biggest wooden warship ever built , the Great Michael was built in Leith, and as a harbour and trading port Leith was active for four hundred years trading with Europe before Glasgow took over the No 1 mantle.

The museum is open to group visits by appointment

Head full of history and dates which I will never ever remember, so home to get on with some work (paper) which is mounting.