The Meadows
Edinburgh’s packed with parks and open spaces. Almost as much as it with gruesome tales, in fact. And a little to the south of the city, the broad swathe of green of the Meadows manages to rather conveniently combine both.
The land, now given over to joggers and enthusiastic ‘jumpers for goalposts’ football matches, was never built upon because it was used for plague pits (impromptu mass graves for victims of the plague) during the 17th century.
Something to think about when you’re having your picnic…
On the subject of plagues, and the horrible history of Edinburgh, generally, the city was the home of one of the world’s most famous plague doctors, John Paulitious. Paulitious was, in fact, the creator of the deeply sinister outfit of the plague doctor:
It caught on because it was thought that the bird-like beak (which can still be seen stalking the streets to such haunting effect at the Venice Carnival) was responsible for Paulitious’ mysteriously long life. Actually, it was as a result of the tough leather gown he wore preventing the plague-bearing fleas from biting him.
So now you know.
