Edinburgh has a fascinating history dating back thousands of years, with evidence of a settlement in the Cramond area from around 8500 BC.
The city’s name comes from ‘Eidyn’, the name for the region in Cumbric – the Brittonic language spoken in the Northern England and Lowland Scotland in the Middle Ages.
At this time a stronghold on Castle Rock was called Din Eidyn, literally meaning ‘the hillfort of Eidyn’. As the Scots language evolved, the Din was replaced by ‘burh’, creating Edinburgh.
And there are plenty more clues to the Capital’s complex past in the names of the streets, roads, and lanes that make up the city, all of which come from a multitude of languages, backgrounds and people.
The name Morningside is thought to date back to the 17th century and was the name of a large estate, with the moniker simply meaning ‘morning slope’.
Here are the stories behind 10 of the road names in the neighbourhood and the surrounding areas.
9. Falcon Road
The various Morningside roads with 'Falcon' in their title are named after Falcon Hall, a mansion that used to stand in the area. It was built in the early 19th century by Andrew Falconer, a former Chief Secretary to the Governor of Madras who retired to Edinburgh in 1811. The mansion was demolished in 1909 to make away for the residential roads that still bear its name. Photo: Google Maps
10. Stable Lanes
Stable Lane was created in 1840 to provide a news for houses to be built in Morningside Place and Dow Lane. It was named in 1980 to reflect its previous purpose as a stable for animals when the area was open ground. Photo: Google Maps