Edinburgh, 134 High Street, Stevenlaw's Close

Stevenlaw's Close is named Steven Laws Closs on Rothiemay 1647, but the mention of "Stenelawis clois" in RMS (Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, Vols I-XI) 1593 shows the tendency to run the names together which resulted in the forms Stanelaw's and Stonelaws given on Edgar 1742 and Ainslie 1780. In all probability the name goes back to Staphen Law, flesher, made burgess in 1501, who had property described in 1512 as being west of a property in Peebles Wynd, and is mentioned in RMS 1537 as late owner of a tavern or vault in the taown. The close was also Telfer's Close, recorded in many variant spellings of that name, which originated as Norman French "taillefer", cutter of iron, and is first noted in Scotland in 1210. A deed of 1710 refers to a Laurence Telfer as an early owner in the close, probably to be identified as Laurence Taillyefer, burgess and town treasurer in 1485, who was evidently a man of wide business interests, since in the year he took leases of the town's mills as well as the flesh house. The close was apt also to be confused with the adjoining Kennedy's Close. (from Stuart Harris, "Place Names of Edinburgh", 1996, pages 583-4)