Little Egypt, Morningside

Image: © kim traynor Taken: 19 Jan 2010

A house at the end of Jordan Lane takes its name from a farm on whose former lands it stands. The farmhouse, which stood where present-day Nile Grove meets Woodburn Terrace, appears in 16thC sources as 'Littill Egypt'. It was demolished in the 1890s. The area abounds in biblical names, such as the adjoining 'lands of Canaan', 'Eden' and 'Paradise' on which villas were later built with names like 'Salem', 'Bethel', 'Hebron', 'Goshen' and 'Zion Mount', prompting one wag to call the area 'Edinburgh's Bible Belt'. The origin of the names is not entirely clear. Some take the view that the trend began with Cromwell's troops inventing names when foraging in unfamiliar enemy territory while encamped on Galachlaw at Fairmilehead in 1650. Others argue more persuasively that the name goes even further back to the reign of James V, when in 1541 the Edinburgh magistrates expelled Romany because of "the gret thiftis and scaiths done be the saidis Egyptians upon our soverance lordis liegis". It is believed that the later farm took its name from the area that became known as 'Egypt' because 'gypsies' had camped there, beyond the town boundary, on the southern slopes of the Burgh Muir. And, of course, one mustn't forget to add the familiar name of the Jordan Burn. See Image "The said bailyeis and counsall and deykins [deacons] quha were present, understanding that Robert Fairlie of Braid, for the favour and luif [love] he beris to the guid toun and of his awin guid will, hes frelie grantet and consentit to len his howssis callit Littill Egipt besyde the commoun mwre [burgh muir] for brewing thairin of the drink to the folkis in the mwre* and sic necessar usis as the toun hes found guid to imploy the samyn, thairfore the said bailyeis, counsall and deykins, acknawlegeing this his guid will as ane singulare guid benefite schawin and done to the commoun weill [common good] in tyme of necessitie...promissis and faythfullie binds and oblissis thame and thair successoures to thankfullie rander and delyuer to the said Robert Fairly of Braid, his aires and successoures, the saidis howssis at quhat tyme soeuir he or thai sall requyre the same, in als guid estaitt and conditioun as thai wer at the resaving of thame." -- Town Council Minutes, 22nd Sept. 1585. *quarantined plague victims

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