Edinburgh, Leith, Falcon's Battery
Battery (16th Century)
Site Name Edinburgh, Leith, Falcon's Battery
Classification Battery (16th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Bowling Green Street; New Mount
Canmore ID 51940
Site Number NT27NE 25
NGR NT 2659 7630
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/51940
- Council Edinburgh, City Of
- Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District City Of Edinburgh
- Former County Midlothian
NT27NE 25 2650 7630
(NT 2659 7630) Site of Falcon's Battery (NR)
OS 6" map, Edinburghshire, 1st ed., (1853).
See also NT27NE 142.
The site of a mound of earth, or battery, raised by an English officer whose name was Falcon, during the siege of Leith in 1560. It was removed some years ago when forming Bowling Green Street, the northern end of which occupies the site.
Mount Falcon is presumably to be identified with the New Mount shown on a plan of 1560, depicting the siege. It was constructed after Mounts Pelham and Somerset. (NT27NE 12/11 q.v.)
Name Book 1852; G Donaldson 1966.
Considering that several written accounts say that Mount Falcon was west of the river, as it would have to be if its fire was to rake the shore, it is hard to understand why Robertson (1851) and others should attach the name to the mound at the Bowling Green, which was actually part of the towns ramparts and trench salient east of the river. See NT27NE 142.
D H Robertson 1851; S Harris 1992.
