Cockburn Street, Edinburgh facts for kids
Cockburn Street is a special street in Edinburgh's Old Town. It was built in 1856 to create an easier path. This winding street connects the famous High Street to Waverley Station.
The street was named after Henry, Lord Cockburn. He was a Scottish lawyer and judge who had recently passed away. Lord Cockburn was important because he wanted to protect Edinburgh's historic buildings. He urged people to make sure new developments, like Cockburn Street itself, did not harm the city's old charm. You can see a carving of Lord Cockburn's head. It is above the entrance to 1 Cockburn Street. This building used to be the Cockburn Hotel. Now, it is offices for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Cockburn Street is also home to many small, unique shops.
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History of Cockburn Street
Before Cockburn Street was built, getting to Waverley Station was tricky. The station opened in 1846. But you could only reach it through narrow, steep alleys called 'closes'. Cockburn Street was cut through these old medieval paths. This made a wider road with a gentler slope. It became much easier to get to the station.
The ends of the old closes were updated between 1859 and 1864. They were rebuilt in a style called Scots Baronial. Most of the buildings you see were designed by the firm of Peddie & Kinnear. The street was first called Lord Cockburn Street. However, the "Lord" part was dropped within ten years.
Most buildings on the street are about four storeys high. But the huge back of the City Chambers stands out. From Cockburn Street, this building looks like it towers 12 storeys tall! The City Chambers building dates back to 1761. This shows that Edinburgh has loved tall buildings for a long time.
Old Medieval Paths
All the small alleys, or 'closes', on both sides of Cockburn Street still follow their old medieval layout.
Most of the closes on the south side lead to the Royal Mile. They still have parts from the 1500s. The most impressive ones are Warriston Close and Advocates Close.
The closes on the north side of Cockburn Street are generally newer. Most of them were built in the 1800s.
Cool Features to Spot
On the north side of the street, one building has special carvings. High up, you can see an owl and a pussycat! These carvings are a fun nod to the famous poem The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear.
Several shops on Cockburn Street have unique wooden shutters. These huge shutters do something special. When the shops open, the shutters drop down below ground level!
Cockburn Street in Movies
Cockburn Street has been a filming location for several movies!
- The doorway, rooftops, and top flats of 51 Cockburn Street are shown clearly in the film Hallam Foe.
- Scenes for the superhero movie Avengers: Infinity War were filmed on this street in April 2017.
- A chase scene between characters Mark and Begbie in the movie Trainspotting 2 also includes a part filmed on Cockburn Street.
