Fleshmarket Close

A Medieval Passage Through Time

Fleshmarket Close is a narrow alley of medieval origin that winds through Edinburgh's Old Town, connecting Cockburn Street with Market Street near Edinburgh Waverley Station. This steep, atmospheric lane represents one of the city's most distinctive urban features—a close, or narrow passageway, that descends into the gullies flanking the Royal Mile. The close's name derives from its historical function as the site of Edinburgh's meat market and slaughterhouse, a vital component of the city's food supply chain for centuries.

The Butcher's Market and Medieval Commerce

During its operational years as a meat market, Fleshmarket Close served a grimly practical purpose in the city's urban design. Meat would be hung along the alley's sides, and blood would naturally drain down the steep incline of the lane, flowing toward the valley to the north of the city. This primitive but effective system of waste management was typical of medieval urban planning, where geography and gravity solved sanitation challenges. The close was named after the significant commercial activity that defined it, following the Edinburgh tradition of naming closes after the trades and businesses based within them or the notable people who resided there.

Architectural Character and Victorian Revival

The buildings visible along Fleshmarket Close today predominantly reflect Scottish baronial revival style, an architectural movement that dominated Edinburgh from 1840 to 1920. This distinctive aesthetic, with its castle-like features and romantic historical references, transformed the appearance of the Old Town during the Victorian era. The architecture creates the close's characteristic shadowy, evocative atmosphere—narrow passages between tall stone buildings that seem to transport visitors back through centuries of Edinburgh's history.

Literary and Cultural Significance

Fleshmarket Close gained renewed prominence in contemporary culture when Scottish crime writer Ian Rankin chose it as the title of his fifteenth Inspector Rebus novel, published in 2004. The novel was released in the United States under the alternative title Fleshmarket Alley, as the publisher believed American readers might be unfamiliar with the Scottish term "close." The book explores themes of crime, location, and Edinburgh's darker underbelly, establishing the close as a compelling setting within Rankin's acclaimed detective fiction. The street has also featured in film production, including J.J. Abrams' 2025 movie Ghostwriter, further cementing its place in popular culture.

Historic Residents and Notable Figures

Fleshmarket Close was historically the residence of Henry Dundas, Viscount Melville, a significant figure in Scottish political history. The close also housed The Jinglin' Geordie bar, named after George Heriot, a 17th-century money-lender and goldsmith whose bequest established a hospital for fatherless children that evolved into George Heriot's School, a leading independent institution. The bar became popular with journalists from the Evening News and The Scotsman newspapers until those publications relocated to the Holyrood area in 1999.

Modern Significance and Urban Connection

Today, Fleshmarket Close functions as an important pedestrian route connecting Edinburgh's Old Town with Waverley Station, one of the city's primary transportation hubs. The close provides a direct link between the historic heart of Edinburgh and modern transport infrastructure, making it both a practical thoroughfare and a living museum of the city's medieval urban fabric. Its narrow confines, steep gradient, and atmospheric architecture make it one of the Old Town's most memorable and photographed passages.