The meander in what is today a subterranean close is near an end as the staircase, used to descend into the close in the beginning, is now visible again. There is 800 years of history here, combining myths and mysteries as well as true discoveries. One can trace a 19th century fire pipe cutting through an 18th century vault cutting through 16th century walls with water flowing into a 14th century drain in a 12th century boundary ditch. Time and the actions of people are spread over these remains and some fragments survive.
1645/ Mary King’s Close was a narrow alley running off from the High Street. It was cramped, crowded and growing upwards.
Today/ The clear walls represent the City Chambers.The top floors of tenement buildings which lined the closes were demolished and the remains used to support the new construction. Mary King;s Close was pushed underground and forgotten until only recently discovered.
Mary King’s Close has been cloaked in legends and mysteries. However, a close examination of the site has disclosed true revelations that are arguably more captivating than any amount of fiction. There are different approaches to disclosing histories of this place. Maps and a variety of sources formulate a time line that reveals how time and events affected accessing the close. Also, the remains of building fabric reveal both visible and hidden architectural clues that give indication of the age of the building, what was there before and changes over 800 years. Whether it is the remains of a fireplace that suggests what the room was used for or what feels like a graze on the shoulder of a ghost, it is clear that there is still a lot more to discover and perhaps the previous resident’s of Mary King’s Close haven’t left their home. [fig. 39]
[fig. 40]