Everything about Sciennes totally explained
Sciennes (pronounced
sheens) is an area of
Edinburgh,
Scotland, just outside the city centre to the south of the
Meadows, with
Newington to the east. Sciennes shares a
Community Council with
Marchmont, to the west.
Since it's near to many different departments of the
University of Edinburgh, Sciennes has a large student population, some living in modern university-owned buildings. Most of the housing is Victorian
tenements or 19th century stone 'villas' in roads which merge into the neighbouring area of the
Grange, extending southward.
Sciennes was one of a number of areas, originally remote from the City, sited on the
Burgh Muir. This area was known for its attraction for the "vagabonds, vagrants and outlaws" which found shelter under its large trees, far from the authorities.
Concern for the spiritual welfare of these people led to the establishment in 1511-12 of a chapel to St John the Baptist by Sir John Craufurd, the canon of St Giles. This chapel only served its purpose for four years, however, as, following Scotland's defeat at the battle of Flodden, a number of widows requested, and were granted, a
Papal Bull to establish the
Dominican convent of
Catherine of Sienna, which was built in 1517 but destroyed in the
Reformation in 1559. The last remains of the convent can still be seen in the gardens of 16 St Catherine's Place, and are marked by a plaque.
The name
Sciennes is derived from this convent's connection with
Siena (Sienna).
The area also contains one of the few
Jewish cemeteries in Scotland. Nearby is the remaining part of Sciennes Hill House, once the home of
Adam Ferguson, who hosted a dinner there where
Robert Burns and the young
Walter Scott met for the one and only time in the winter of 1786-87.
Conan Doyle's family lived in this part of Sciennes while he was a boy.
The Edinburgh Royal Hospital for Sick Children, known as the "Sick Kids", has been in Sciennes since 1895. It is a
listed building with murals by
Phoebe Traquair in its chapel. Sciennes Primary School is next to the hospital.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Sciennes'.
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