medieval-atlas/regional-and-local/456

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Burghs: development of Edinburgh 1550 to 1650 In 1400 Edinburgh had reportedly only 400 houses. Its population by 1558, when 736 merchants and 717 craftsmen (both with their apprentices and servants included) were recorded in a muster roll, Edinburgh was divided into four quarters and, also like other Scottish burghs, it was made up of only one parish -until 1592. In that year a census was conducted by the kirk session, which revealed 2,239 households and exactly 8,000 examinable persons (over 12 years of age) within. the burgh walls. The kirk sought eight new model parishes, eacR-\i;ith 1,000 communicants but had to settle, until the 1640s, for four, each based on one of the old quarters. By 1635, when a novel annuity tax, based on the valued rent of each household, was levied to pay for the burgh's ministers, the number Nor' Loch 899 North-West 520 11111 :: : 1,157 1111I _5~7_ \\ ~HH Telfer's Wail -----.. \ '\ ,',. Development of Edinburgh: number of households 1592, 1635 2,239 By 1635 each quarter had, for ease of administration, been (North-west 1,2,3 ... ) beginning and ending at the Grassmarket. was about 12,000. Although this was at least twice the size ofany other Scottish town, it did not fully reflect either Edinburgh's position as an administrative capital or its growing stranglehold over Scotland's export trade. of households had sharply increased, by 74 per cent, to 3,901; there were, in addition, a further 903 business premises. Its total population is likely to have been between 21,000 and 23, 500. And beyond its walls lay three other sizeable burghs -the Canongate and North and South .Leith -making up 'greater Edinburgh'; its total population mus'! hrve~n in the region of 35,000. ~TONHILL ~ ~ ~ Canongate South-East St. Leonards TOTALS 3,901 divided into sub-thirds, Which proceeded in a clockwise direction Nor' Loch NW2 NW3 R 72 , NEl 00234 ..:-: 178 , :~:~: 242 ..... 0 D2gg College' or Univers;ity , , , ,~. -~----\~ Telfer's Wai, ----.-.. ~ ~TONH!LL NE2 Canongate SE2 SEt f:ffiI 54: lliill295: :::: 71 '. '.' : ~402 : lliill TOTALS 903 3,901 456