Stockbridge Market

Today's the day ........................... for a blast from the past

Just off St Stephen Street in the Stockbridge area of Edinburgh, there is an arched opening, flanked by two Doric pillars supporting a lintel that leads down a flight of steps. Above the opening is a lantern, held by an elaborate bracket. Stockbridge Market it boldly proclaims in slightly faded black lettering above the main opening - Butcher Meat, Fresh Fruit, Fish & Poultry.

You might well be tempted by this to go down the steps lured by the prospect of food for sale - but you will have been misled. There is no market, although there was once.

The original market was designed by Archibald Scott in 1825, who was given the contract by Captain Carnegie, who owned the two tenements on either side of St. Steven Place. His market didn’t have an untroubled existence. There were complaints from traders about ventilation, and it was semi-abandoned at the start of the 1850’s, after only twenty- five years, but some fleshers maintained premises there till the turn of the last century. It finally closed in 1906.

But the good news is that it has been resurrected - and today when we went there, a street market was in full swing. It takes place every Sunday - you can find more about it here .....................