Edinburgh's Royal Mile: here's why the brass setts marking the historic entrance to the city are missing

They marked the position of the medieval gateway to Edinburgh.

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And when the brass setts disappeared from the roadway at a junction on the Royal Mile, local historian and blue-badge tour guide Fraser Parkinson feared an important reminder of the city's history had gone for good.

But now the city council has explained the markers were removed as part of a project to re-lay setts on the historic street and issued an assurance they will be returned to their rightful place once the latest roadworks have been completed.

The brass setts mark the position of the Netherbow Port which was the entrance to Edinburgh.

The setts – outside the World's End pub at the junction of the Canongate with High Street, St Mary’s Street and Jeffrey Street – showed the outline of the old Netherbow Port, which was the entrance to Edinburgh but was demolished in 1764.

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Mr Parkinson said: “The Netherbow Port was one of the most historic and important buildings in Edinburgh. It was a substantial building but the actual entrance to the city for carts, horses and citizens was very small – not for defensive reasons, but to make sure all goods that were being taxed came in through that gate and couldn't be sneaked through.

“These brass setts gave us a wonderful indication of the sort of area it was. As professional guides, it's one of the things we always show people.

The brass markers have disappeared because of roadworks re-laying the setts.

“It separated the Canongate burgh and Edinburgh. In medieval times these were two separate burghs – a burgh required a church, a tolbooth and a market cross – so that gateway was where people went into Edinburgh and came out of Edinburgh.

“A lot of Edinburghers used to go down to the Canongate for cheap beer because the taxes were different and the monks of Holyrood Abbey were brilliant at brewing and the waters were very good.”

The brass setts are actually brass plates bonded onto the top of ordinary setts and the council plans to put them back once current work around the junction is over.

There are similar brass markers further up the Royal Mile, next to the Heart of Midlothian, showing the position of the old Tolbooth

The Netherbow Port pictured as an engraving in 1764.

A council spokesperson said: "The brass plates were removed as part of the sett re-laying and will be replaced once this section is finished.”

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