Edinburgh Locations

Locations in Edinburgh

1. The Rag Alley

Location: Borthwick's Close off the Royal Mile

According to the DVD commentary this was a narrow alley off the Royal Mile used on the first day of filming in Edinburgh. It was used in a number of scenes.

Episode One - Margaret Hale exploring Milton

Episode Two - Boucher/Rioters escaping from the soldiers

Episode Three - Boucher being ignored by fellow workers

Episode Four - John Thornton going to offer Higgins a job/giving little girl a coin.

The following scenes were filmed in Borthwick's Close

Borthwick's Close

Last picture thanks to Alison.

2. MH/Higgins Steps

Location: Chambers Street/Guthrie Street.

These are the steps from Chambers Street down to Guthrie Street where Margaret Hale first meets Nicholas Higgins (Episode One). He rescues her from the mill workers and recovers her purse.

As you can see from the pictures below one of the drainpipes is still boxed after filming and there are some remains of the posters

3. JT/Mason Steps

Location: Warriston Close

Warriston Close steps down from Royal Mile to Cockburn Street where John Thornton meets Mason and Mason mentions that Margaret Hale might be connected with Leonards death (Episode Three). Best viewed from Cockburn Street upwards.

See picture below.......second 'level' up is where JT stops to talk to Mason just before you reach the small projecting wall on the right hand side.

Thank you to Pat for accompanying me on 'The Steps Finding Mission' ....

Last picture thanks to Pat

4. View Of Milton and JT/MH walks

Location: Calton Hill

Calton Hill is located at the east end of Princes Street and from the hill you can see the view across the city well....Milton. Also this was used for the graveyard and Margaret Hale and John Thornton's walks.

While facing the view if you turn left and walk between the National Monument and the Nelson Monument and as soon as you pass them you turn right and walk to the path behind the Nelson Monument. This was where Margaret Hale met Higgins and Bessie and she talks about taking them a basket and John Thornton goes for his walks (before and after the proposal etc).

Calton Hill

5. The Lyceum Hall

Location: St Stephen's Church north end of Howe Street

The Lyceum Hall........ place of the '300 Mile Look' in Episode One, where Mr Hale gives his lectures and the strikers held their meeting.

St Stephen's Church

Once you reach St Stephen's Church St Stephen Street is off to the left which leads to the Hales' House.

6. The Hales' House

Location: St Stephen Place

St Stephen Place is located off St Stephen Street, Stockbridge.

St Stephen Place

The Hales house can be seen in the top left corner.

If you go through the arch at the end of the street and down the few steps that was the way John Thornton went to his lesson with Mr Hale and where he watched Margaret Hale talking to Higgins on the steps of the Hales house after she had rejected his proposal (Episode Three).

Last picture thanks to Jo

7. The Shops

Location: William Street

William Street is to the west of Princes Street. It was used in a number of scenes in North and South.

William Street

Unfortunately on each of my 3 visits to 'The Shops' the end of the street has been covered in scaffolding.

Thank you to Cilma for the picture of William Street without the scaffolding!

Anyone planning a visit to the locations in Edinburgh please get in touch via the Contact page if you would like further information.

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