Through this wild desolate region passed the king’s highway from Edinburgh to the south or east, by way of Musselburgh—a passable enough road for travellers though unfenced, but by no means safe against highwaymen, especially after sunset.
Until the middle of the eighteenth century nota single dwelling —save perhaps a shepherd's shieling—was to be seen on the ground. It was as much a wilderness as if it had been in the heart of the Highlands, miles away from a city; for the traveller from Edinburgh, after clearing himself of the narrow and intricate thoroughfares of the suburbs by the Water-gate and Abbeyhill, and passing on the left the then important village of Restalrig or ‘‘ Lesterick,” and on the right, at the intersection of the roads, the little hut anciently called ‘“‘Jokis Lodge,” passed no dwelling until he reached the smoky seaside hamlet of Joppa Salt Pans.
From the time of the Roman occupation of the Lothians, the roadway traversing the parish by way of the sea, had continued much the same, narrow and intricate; and in the ‘‘ Fishwives’ Causeway” we have still a remnant of the original road in its primitive simplicity. After crossing the Figgate Burn by a ford or bridge a few hundred yards above the present bridge, the road continued through the ‘‘ Figgate Whins,” forming what is now the main street of the burgh.
The lands of Figgate, like those of the rest of the Barony of Duddingston, were subject to the Lordship of the Abbots of Kelso from the early part of the twelfth century. They extended to about 75 acres, and the various proprietors, who from time to time owned them, held them as feudatories of the Abbey. From a charter, dated 20th May 1466, we learn some particulars relative to this small estate which are of interest as defining its boundaries and the tenure upon which it is held by the superior. ‘We have been at some pains to verify the marches of the property,
