The Citadel, Dock Street, Leith

Image: © kim traynor Taken: 5 Jan 2011

Now in a rather neglected state (though note the recently restored staircase section on the left), this is the gateway to Cromwell's fort at Leith. The stone was quarried at Wardie. In the 1650s, Edinburgh was given the choice between building this fort to control the trade of Leith or losing its jurisdiction over the port. The council advanced 60,000 pounds Scots towards its cost. When it later became the property of the earl of Lauderdale, who threatened to create his own burgh of barony on this part of Leith, the council (i.e. of Edinburgh) had to pay the same amount, £5,000 sterling, to re-purchase the land. "The Protector and Counsall of England with his Heyness counsell sittand heir at Edinburgh for the government thairof haiffing intentioun to beg [build] a citadaill on the north syde of the brig of Leith they delt with the toun of Edinburgh ather to big that citadaill or ellis to lois thair libertie and superioritie of Leith. The toun of Edinburgh not willing to tyne [lose] thair superioritie did agree with the great counsall to advance thrie scoir thousand pundis scottis twiching the bigging of the citadaill and so the Inglisches began to cast the trenches and enter to that work on the north syde of Leith upon Monday 26 of May 1656." -- Diary of John Nicoll (1658) "The country lies very quiet; it is exceedingly poor; trade is naught; the English have all the money." -- Rev. Robert Baillie, 1658 See also Image

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