Part 1: [A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|XYZ]
Part 2: [A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|XYZ]
| OAKFIELD TERRACE | From the oak tree, e.c.b.c.1d. |
| OBSERVATORY ROAD | From the City Observatory, erected on Blackford Hill, opened 1896, after four years building, Gilbert 176. |
| OGILVIE TERRACE | On George Watson's Hospital ground; named from Dr. G. Ogilvie, headmaster of George Watson's College, W.C. |
| OLD ASSEMBLY CLOSE | Ainslie. Kirkwood. Kerr. Assembly Close, Edgar. Little's Close, New Lights, 94, Durie's Close, New Lights 89, Steil's Close, St. C.H. 259, Patrick Shiell's, Prot. J. W.8, 25/6/1767, or Stiel's Close, Reg. 4/8/1744, Gillespie's Close, Prot. J. W. 7, 22/3/1765, Barnes' Close, Prot. J. W.5, 13/2/1759, Zair's Close, Prot. A. W.6, 3/2/1720. From the Assembly (Dancing) Rooms, formerly in the West Bow, but transferred about 1720, Wilson, ii. 32, and finally burned out in the great fire of 1824. The Old Assembly Hall was a great hall or room the great stone tenement built by Wm. Smellie, Henry Wilson, and James Mack, on the east side of Borthwick's Close, entered from be Borthwick's and Steele's Closes, Prot. J.W.4, 23/5/1758. One of the confusing cases of the same name applied to two adjacent closes bounding the name-giving tenement. It 'has had a new name with almost every century of its existence. In the middle of the sixteenth century it was known as Little's, after Mr Clement Little, advocate (founder of the University Library), w along with his brother the Provost, lived there. Another change name took place in the seventeenth century in honour of Sir Gibson, better known as Lord Durie, whose mansion stood on the of the Old Assembly Rooms, New Lights, 89; Wilson, ii. 32, occupied later, 1835, by one of the Heriot schools. The name Little's Close has not been found amongst the protocols examined, but Walter Little of Libberton owned a tenement on the east side of the top of the Old Assembly Close,,Prot. J. W.4, 3/1/1758. A protocol for Gabriel Little or Rankine of Over Libbertoun is recorded, dealing with property in the close commonly called Clement Little's Close, south side of the High Street, Prot. A. W. 6, 28/8/1718. Durie's or Durrie'sProt. A.W.2, 29/11/1704 Close occurs freque e.g. formerly Durie's or Patrick Shiell's, now Old Assembly Close Prot. J.W.8, 25/6/1767, named from Lord Durie above; but there is a hint of another derivation in John Durie, 'faber muriarius', resident in Zair's alias Durie's alias Patrick Steill's Close, Prot. A. W. 6, 312 Zair's Close is clearly the same as Yaris, which was on the south! of the High Street, in part running east and west, and containing lands of David Gillespy, deceist, c.c.1400, 30/3/1547, also Hair's Close, containing a tenement of Katherine Gillespie, on south si the High Street next to Borthwick's Close, quoted from charter Of Michael Macquhan and his spouse, Janet Rhind: for founding of th Magdalen Chapel. Its alias, Patrick Stiell's Patrick Steill's, now Old Assembly Close: Reg. 4/8/1744, or Patrick Shiel's Prot. J. W.8, 25/6/1767, or Stiel's St. C. 259 Close, is derived from the lodging or tavern, The Cross Keys, sometime belonging to Patrick Steil, in Patrick Steil's or Durie's Close, Prot. W.F.10, 21/8/1761. This house seems to have been owned by Archibald, portioner of Inverask, only son and heir of Archibald Shiels, merchant, Edinburgh: its builder being the late John Hamilton, and its position between Durie's Close on the west and Covenant Close on the east, Prot. W.F.10, 14/8/1761. See also St. Monan's Wynd and Conn's Close. The close seems also, wholly or in part, to have been named Gillespy's Close, but the distinct alias has not,been found. The name is derived from the lands of David Gillespy close to Borthwick's Close,Prot. J. W. 7, 22/3/1765, or of Wm. Gillespie whose lands were on the north side of the Cowgate, having the tenement of Lord Borthwick on the west,Prot. A. W. 7, 24/5/1725. Katherine Gillespie's tenement in Hair's Close is mentioned above, quoted from charter of Michael Macquhan and his spouse, Janet Rhzind: for founding of the Magdalen Chapel. David Gillespie, baxter, owned a tenement on the north side of the Cowgate, with lands to the west and south and the transe of Suittle's, now Fishmarket Close, on the west, Reg., 4/6/1741. The close was on the south side of the High Street, Prot. G.H.5, 9/7/1718. Yet another name seems to belong to this close, Barnes' Close. There was a tenement on the south side of the High Street in Conn's Close, bounded by the transe of the close called Barnes' Close on the west,Prot. J.W.5, 13/2/1759. This is the one mention of the name, and no hint is given of its derivation. |
| OLD FISHMARKET CLOSE | Vicus Fori Pisactorii, Gordon. Shown as Fishmarket Close, Edgar, D.1800. Old Fishmarket Close, Ainslie. Kirkwood marks it as now shut up. Swift's Close. Suittie's Close. Carmichael's Close. Gourlay's Close. It owed its name to the Old Fishmarket, shown by Gordon and Edgar: later the Poultry Market (as in Ainslie 1780), or Poultry and fish, Ainslie 1804. The reduced area of the Market was occupied later by the Union Bank. An alias of the sixteenth century was Swift's Wynd or Close, New Lights, 57, n. It is spoken of as the Fishmercate Close, of old, Swyft's Close, Prot. W.F.10, 7/6/1762, the name being derived from the owners of property therein. Alexr. Swift owned a cellar at the head of the close, Prot. A.W.6, 6/8/1719; John Swift, a tenement at the south side of the Cross, Prot. A.W.3, 29/7/1709, and on the east of Barrie's, now Fishmercat Close, Prot. G.H. 6, 22/7/1724. There was a tenement, with the land of the Laird of Borthwick on the east, and of the late Thomas Swift on the west, Prot. 16/7/1528 and 21/12/1530. It appears also as Suittie's, now Fishmarket Close, Reg. 4/6/1741, or Suttie's Wynd, now Fishmercate Close, Prot. J. W.8, 23/12/1765, but no derivation has been found, unless the conjecture that Suttie's is a corruption of Swift's. This may be Toddis Close described above; the identification is not clear. The lower end of the close, named Humph's Close Prot. W.F.8, 24/8/1757 in the Ordnance Survey, may be still traced in the open space above the Free Breakfast Building, where it yet exists, 3 feet 6 inches wide, in the building occupied by Messrs. Geo. Duncan & Son. The lower end, on the Cowgate, is closed with a sheet-iron gate. The name seems to occur as Home's Close. A tenement on the east side of Fishmercat Close (Probably the Back of Fishmarket Close) near the end of the close, and opposite the Fishmarket, had Home's Close on the east, Prot. A.W.3, 31/1/1707, but no derivation has been found. Edgar names it simply 'Back of Borthwick's Close'. Ainslie indicates the whole as Old Fishmarket Close. It seems also to have been known as Carmichael's Close, which was immediately west of Borthwick's Close, Prot. J. W.4, 23/2/1757, and immediately east of the Fishmarket Close, Prot. A. W. 6, 22/10/1722. A great stone tenement stood at the back of the Mercat Cross, on the south side of the High Street, now possessed by Mr. Wm. Carmichael, advocate, Prot. A.W.4, 28/12/1711, and a tenement is mentioned as being in Borthwick's Close, having the close formerly called Carmichael's Close, now part of the Old Fishmarket Close, on the west, Reg. 12/10/1860. Carmichael's or Gourlay's Close was just west of Borthwick's Close, Prot. J. W.3, 2/7/1756; J. W.4, 23/1/1757, but no hint as to Gourlay's identity has been found. |
| OLD PLAYHOUSE CLOSE | Kerr. Upr. Playhouse Close, Ainslie. Upper Playhouse Close, Kirkwood. Old Playhouse Close, D.1827, as shown by comparing the street numbers with Kirkwood. Dallas' Close, Prot. J.W.4, 31/8/1757 and J. W.8, 5/12/1767, where the alias is distinctly given. It was named from the Playhouse, fitted up in 1747, Wilson, ii. 86, between the two closes to which it gave its name. It was also known as Dallas' Close, Reg. 1/5/1741, from the tenement sometime owned by the late James Inglis, now by Wm. Hunter, and other houses owned by (blank) Dallas, now by Wm. Hunter, the 'Ingurium Calmentarium, lie. Lie 'which being interpreted is, ' Mason's Lodge,'owned now by Richard Coopar, being on the east, REG 1/5/1741 The other Playhouse Close, Downmost, p.w. list 1779; Ainslie 1780, Undr., Ainslie 1804, Old Playhouse, o.s.; Kerr, takes its name from its position, being lower down the street. It was called also Inglis Close, from the property of James Inglis mentioned above, and of Wm. Inglis, W.S., Inglis Close or Playhouse Close, the lower, or eastmost close, property of Wm. Inglis, W.S.: Can. Chart. 15/5/1875. |
| OLD STAMP OFFICE CLOSE | Shown as Newbank Close, Edgar. Ship Close, Ainslie. Old Bank or Ship Close, p.w. list l779. Formerly New Bank Close, Kirkwood. Fortune's Close. In Williamson's Directory for 1779 we find George Thomson, Stamp Office, Old Ship Close, D. 1799, p. 6.- Stamp Office, Old Ship Close. The Stamp Office remained in this close till 1821, when it was transferred to Waterloo Place. Edgar calls it the Newbank Close, as containing the New, or Royal Bank, constituted in 1727, whose office was in the close till 1753. It is mentioned under the same name in the Council Minutes of 19th June 1805. In Peter Williamson's list of 1779 he calls it the Old Bank., (or Ship) Close, which name properly belongs to the close on the sou4 side of the Lawnmarket, now removed for Melbourne Place, where the Bank of Scotland was opened in 1695. It owed its alias of Ship Close, Ainslie, Old Ship Close, p.w. 1780, p.34; D.1799, p.6, or Ship Tavern Close, Prot. J.W.1, 29/8/1745, to the 'Ship' tavern built by Thomas Wilson Prot. A.W.5,19/9/1716. It took its name of Fortune's Close, p.w. 1773, p.69; m.t.c. 5/8/1795, j.r. from John Fortune of the famous tavern, opposite the Guard, p. w. 1773, or in the Old Ship Close, p.w.1780. The house itself was owned by the Earl of Eglinton, m.t.c. 2/5/1770. |
| ORCHARD BRAE | Road leading to orchard of Dean House. See also Orchard Bank etc. -Part II. |
| ORMELIE TERRACE | Lord Ormelie, title of the eldest son of the Marquis of Breadalbane. |
| ORMIDALE TERRACE | Compliment to George L. Macfarlane, Hon. Lord Ormidale, senator of College of justice in Scotland 1910. The name was on the plan when the property was acquired by the Murrayfield Real Estate Coy. from the late Mr. Lockhart Thomson (Jas. Stewart). Died at Ormidale, Argyllshire 6/7/1804. Alexr. Campbell of Ormidale Esq., Scots Magazine 1804. |
| ORWELL PLACE TERRACE |
Appears first in D. 1876/7. Orwell is a parish, with ancient chapel in Kinross-shire, adjoining Loch Leven. 1887 vr. Dalry House was on Episcopal Training College. Orwell Place was constructed to give Dalry House a frontage. College may well have had an influence in choice of name, namely from a religious source, the ancient chapel of Orwell. |
| OSBORNE TERRACE | From Royal residence as its neighbours, Hampton and Kew Terraces. |