A ‘land’ in Edinburgh's Old Town 

‘They stopped outside a dark smelly passage, paid a caddie to hold the cart and entered the stairwell. William paused outside the entrance to say: ‘In Edinburgh, they call a passage “a close”. They call the building a “land” and they call each apartment “a house”’.

They went inside, climbed the dark stairs and knocked on the door of a house on the fourth floor. It led to a surprisingly comfortable home, though the windows were small.’ This is a quote from The Claudians: gardens, landscapes, reason and faith: John Claudius Loudon and Claudius Buchanan, Tom Turner (Kindle, 2024).

More about housing in Edinburgh’s Old Town

Gladstone's Land is a good example of a ‘land’ in Edinburgh’s Old Town which survives and is visible. Legally, the term ‘land’ refers to the ground + the property which stands on it. In the Old Town, this was often a multi-story tenement building. Such buildings were a characteristic feature of the city's historical architecture, particularly during the medieval and early modern periods.

Key Characteristics of a "Land" in Edinburgh's Old Town:

1. Structure: Lands were tall, narrow buildings that often rose several stories high. Due to the limited space within the city walls, buildings grew vertically, sometimes reaching up to ten or more stories.
2. Mixed Use: These buildings typically housed multiple families or individuals, with each floor or flat being occupied by different households. The ground floor often contained shops or workshops, with residential spaces above.
3. Construction: Built primarily from stone, lands were designed to be sturdy and durable. The close proximity of buildings and their height contributed to the dense, crowded character of the Old Town.
4. Social Mix: A land could house a mix of social classes. Wealthier families might occupy the more desirable upper floors (despite the effort required to climb the stairs), which had better light and ventilation, while poorer families lived in the lower, darker, and sometimes damp rooms.
5. Closes and Wynds: Access to the lands was often via narrow alleys called closes or wynds. These passageways added to the labyrinthine nature of the Old Town and were named after notable residents or landmarks.

Gladstone’s Land, completed c1620, was built as a merchant's house and at one point was owned by Thomas Gledstanes, from whom its present name probably originated. The building has a narrow frontage, a high gabled roof, and crow-stepped gables. The interiors provide a glimpse into life in Edinburgh during the 17th century. Gladstone is a Scottish name. It originates from the place name Gledstanes in Lanarkshire, Scotland. The name is derived from Old English words meaning ‘kite-shaped stone’.