Close encounter

Edinburgh's Royal Mile acts as the spine for a series of narrow passageways, usually named as 'Closes', that run at right angles, like herring bones, off the 'Mile itself.

Tweeddale Court (pictured here) is considered to be one of the more interesting closes, historically, although it is named as a 'Court' rather than a close, and indeed opens up past this iron gateway to a courtyard which once housed the headquarters of the British linen Bank (which was only taken over by the Bank of Scotland in 1969).

What is clear from this image is that it enjoys a reasonable amount of sun, even in the winter months, which maybe explains how it was possible for the Marquess of Tweeddale to grow lime trees in his garden during his late 18th century residency...

BAL-04055 Tweeddale Court