THE LANDS OF FIGGATE—THE FIRST INHABITANT—PORTOBELLO HOUSE—RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE TOWN.
PORTOBELLO can neither boast of an antiquity stretching back to the dim traditions of the Middle Ages, nor is its history surrounded with the romance of military achievement. Yet, short though its record be, it presents us with episodes and characteristics of interest to its present and future inhabitants.
In its early origin, its gradual growth and extension, its increasing popularity and importance as a hamlet, a village, and a burgh, until its final absorption by the city of Edinburgh, there is at all events in the private, social, and municipal life of the place, abundant material for a narrative full of varied experience.
The site upon which for the most part the town is built formed for centuries an outlying, valueless, and altogether neglected part of the Barony of Duddingston, in the parish of the same name.
Covered with furze, heath, and wild grass, the ‘‘ Lands of Figgate,” or the ‘‘ Figgate Whins,” presented a wilderness of sand-blown downs such as may still be seen skirting the sea shore between Prestonpans and Gosford, upon which it is said the Monks of Holyrood Abbey were wont in olden times to graze their cattle. The Figgate or Ficket Burn formed the western boundary of the property—Figgate being a corruption of the Saxon word for a common pasture for cattle, or cattle-gait. Previous to the time of King David of Scotland the whole district south-east of Edinburgh was known by the appellation of the Forest of Drumselch or Drumsheuch, and was a favourite hunting ground, game of all kinds, including—according to the old chronicler—‘‘ hartis, hyndis, toddis, and sic like manner of beistis,”’ being found in abundance. It was in this forest that David I. narrowly escaped being gored by a white hart, and in gratitude for his deliverance, afterwards, in 1128, erected the Abbey of Holyrood.
