A History of Mary King’s Close

Edinburgh has a long history, much of which has become entrenched in the history books as not so pleasant. Like London, it was highly populated and therefore very susceptible to many of the same conditions and situations, such as poverty, disease, poor hygiene, and many notably bad occupations. These urban issues were exacerbated by the exodus to the cities prompted by the industrial revolution in the 18th Century, and remained a very real factor in people’s lives until after the Second World War. Edinburgh handled this slightly better than other British cities as the population was only about 20,000 after the last plague hit the city between 1644 and 1645.  Despite being the worst record, mercifully it was also the last.

The 1600s

During the 1600s, living conditions were rough. Law and justice were rare but harsh, and the poor were largely resigned to poverty and neglect by the establishment. These were the days before street lighting and an organised police force – so robberies, burglary and violent crime were rife. Taxes were crippling, and people who could not make ends meet often ended up in slums in the city, which bred crime and disease. Among the more affluent families in Edinburgh was the King family, namely one Alexander King—a lawyer whom the close was previously named after.

When he died in 1619, the close was renamed to honour Mary King (no relation) who was a professional clothes maker and fabric trader, as well as a noted philanthropist. When she was widowed with four children in 1629, she maintained her stature in the community, rather than letting the grief consume her. Mary died in 1644, but it is unclear from what, especially as it was during the early days of the last plague outbreak. Mary was fondly remembered by Edinburgh’s poorer citizens for the work she hid in helping to improve working conditions, and we are proud to honour her memory to this day.

Mary’s Memory Lives On

In 1694, the Edinburgh Town Council recorded in its minutes the existence of Mary King’s Close. Sadly, during the construction of the Royal Exchange in 1753, other closes along with Mary King’s suffered some loss when half were covered over. Exactly one hundred years later, in 1853, much the same thing happened during construction of Cockburn Street and more destruction was brought upon Mary King’s Close. Still, the residents remained, and it was not until 1902 that the last resident left by order of compulsory purchase. In January 1904, a new council chamber opened, right above the close.

The Close Today

In 2003, The Real Mary King’s Close opened as a public attraction, entertaining and regaling visitors with stories of crime, plague, debauchery and murder around the Close. We have become a much loved attraction of tourists around the world. Come along and enjoy the sights and smells of old Edinburgh, and the real historical characters that lived, loved and worked in our city.