This is the old guy that used to be the doorman at the City Chambers in Edinburgh. I remember meeting him in the early 90's, he used to take people down to see Mary Kings Close before it was opened up as the fully fledged attraction that it is nowadays. The Chambers is built on top of a number of old closes that run underneath. At that time, the only access was from inside the City Chambers.
the wee old man in the bonnet is brilliant at telling stories, minds me of my late papa, i would love to hear my wee papa tell me all those stories again, he was full of wonderful mystery and magical stories, by god i miss him.
Across from the City Chambers is St Giles Cathedral and beneath it are more underground closes. These were used in WWII as air raid shelters, and they are now used as cells for the courts directly above (used to be the High Court but is now the Sheriff Court).
@yulethomson Many years ago I worked for the City of Edinburgh Council and I was lucky enough to go down Mary Kings Close. This was long before it was opened to the public. The person who took us down was a council worker and he would do these tours voluntarily. Due to the fact that it wasn't open to the public and the fact that for all intents and purposes it was dangerous, we went down at our own risk.
This suited me fine because I was really interested in the history and what lay beneath our city. There are more underground closes than just this one, but Mary Kings is the most famous. What they don't tell you on this video is that at the height of the plague, the entrances to the close were deliberately bricked up to contain the dying people of the close. So not only were these people sick and dying, any fresh air getting in to the close was cut off.
About 1992, workers found dead bodies. The workers that found this were forced to sign the official secrets act. They turned the building into a club. We used to go a lot was great , my sister in law came but she couldn't even enter the club , she felt as if some1 was choking her, she went home , we went into the club , many times , thankfully we never felt any negative energies , we went to another pub , & had 1 of the weirdest nights of our lives. There's loads goes on down these tunnels ,& streets down the grassmarket. I was invited to a clubcalled Eden, I didn't go , I was with friends and they weren't invited. Edinburgh is full of history ,& ghosts. Edinburgh is really cleakish, if you don't come from Edinburgh, your an outsider. Great place to live , I love my city , warts & all lol. If your coming for a holiday , anyone would love it. Steeped in history. Blessings
I really wish people paid more attention to this gentleman and his history of the close. :) this is the real truth not the made up stuff you read about online! great video and thank you for posting :)
this is so interesting to me cos I keep hearing more and more about this ghost that walks up and down the close AFTER I saw the shadow figure of a woman with a bun in her hair walk down that street from the house situated on it (during a tour obviously)! I knew about the little ghost girl and I knew about the big scary ghost man, but I'd never heard of 'Mary King's Ghost' until after I'd gone! Now I don't feel so crazy! lol
@jamiegobangbang - If you read what I said before you will see that I stated that I was told this by the council worker who took me on the tour. I had no reason not to believe him. Urban Legend or not, it wouldn't surprise me if it were true, those were gruesome times.
I don't know the original show that clip was from, but I'm fairly certain I got it from an Australian show in the mid to late 1990s called "The Extraordinary", which was hosted by Warwick Moss. I have no idea how he was granted private access. Maybe he knew the right people. I'd be pooping my pants down there alone! lol
aye council workers had access to the underground streets for years before they were opened up my friends mom was a cleaner there it was well known strange activity went on for years
Went down there in 2004 with my sister , would not even think of being down there at night on my own , Edinburgh is too creepy at night , and my sister and i are both from Edinburgh , our City is bloddy creepy .Duncan Pitkeathly .
@donna1167 emmmm no there isnt! the nearest location for air raid shelters from the high street was Blair street! I can assure you there are no other closes under St Giles or parliment square. the only thing that was there before the carpark was the citys burying ground! the holding cells you are talking about were built with the building as......cells!
I haven't been down to the close since it's been opened up to the public, but from what I've seen so far, they've ruined it. That was bound to happen as first they had to make it safe for the general public, but I think they've gone too far by trying to make it so much more commercial.
I'm Scottish and I've been there and believe me it's 100% real! The only place to have ever freaked me right out though was the Niddrie Street vaults, in Edinburgh. I'm 6ft 2" an ex Boxer also and it takes a lot to scare me, but that place is terrifying! Try it and see for yourself?
This is the old guy that used to be the doorman at the City Chambers in Edinburgh. I remember meeting him in the early 90's, he used to take people down to see Mary Kings Close before it was opened up as the fully fledged attraction that it is nowadays.
The Chambers is built on top of a number of old closes that run underneath.
At that time, the only access was from inside the City Chambers.
the wee old man in the bonnet is brilliant at telling stories, minds me of my late papa, i would love to hear my wee papa tell me all those stories again, he was full of wonderful mystery and magical stories, by god i miss him.
Across from the City Chambers is St Giles Cathedral and beneath it are more underground closes. These were used in WWII as air raid shelters, and they are now used as cells for the courts directly above (used to be the High Court but is now the Sheriff Court).
@yulethomson
Many years ago I worked for the City of Edinburgh Council and I was lucky enough to go down Mary Kings Close. This was long before it was opened to the public. The person who took us down was a council worker and he would do these tours voluntarily. Due to the fact that it wasn't open to the public and the fact that for all intents and purposes it was dangerous, we went down at our own risk.
This suited me fine because I was really interested in the history and what lay beneath our city. There are more underground closes than just this one, but Mary Kings is the most famous.
What they don't tell you on this video is that at the height of the plague, the entrances to the close were deliberately bricked up to contain the dying people of the close. So not only were these people sick and dying, any fresh air getting in to the close was cut off.
About 1992, workers found dead bodies. The workers that found this were forced to sign the official secrets act. They turned the building into a club. We used to go a lot was great , my sister in law came but she couldn't even enter the club , she felt as if some1 was choking her, she went home , we went into the club , many times , thankfully we never felt any negative energies , we went to another pub , & had 1 of the weirdest nights of our lives. There's loads goes on down these tunnels ,& streets down the grassmarket. I was invited to a clubcalled Eden, I didn't go , I was with friends and they weren't invited.
Edinburgh is full of history ,& ghosts. Edinburgh is really cleakish, if you don't come from Edinburgh, your an outsider.
Great place to live , I love my city , warts & all lol. If your coming for a holiday , anyone would love it. Steeped in history.
Blessings
but madam, that tour guide's been dead for years...
I really wish people paid more attention to this gentleman and his history of the close. :) this is the real truth not the made up stuff you read about online! great video and thank you for posting :)
If you look up user name Ghost Watching they just posted a 5 part ghost hunt taken down here.
its things like this that make me love my city
this is so interesting to me cos I keep hearing more and more about this ghost that walks up and down the close AFTER I saw the shadow figure of a woman with a bun in her hair walk down that street from the house situated on it (during a tour obviously)! I knew about the little ghost girl and I knew about the big scary ghost man, but I'd never heard of 'Mary King's Ghost' until after I'd gone! Now I don't feel so crazy! lol
@jamiegobangbang - If you read what I said before you will see that I stated that I was told this by the council worker who took me on the tour. I had no reason not to believe him. Urban Legend or not, it wouldn't surprise me if it were true, those were gruesome times.
I don't know the original show that clip was from, but I'm fairly certain I got it from an Australian show in the mid to late 1990s called "The Extraordinary", which was hosted by Warwick Moss.
I have no idea how he was granted private access. Maybe he knew the right people.
I'd be pooping my pants down there alone! lol
It was originally shown on Scottish TV a good few years ago, as I remembered parts of this video when I watched it!
the thought that they blocked mary kings close in with all the people and build up on top of it makes me shudder, gives me the creeps
aye council workers had access to the underground streets for years before they were opened up my friends mom was a cleaner there it was well known strange activity went on for years
great video!! :) keep them coming! :)
DID SOMEBODY SAY: "GHOST WALKING TOURS SCOTLAND "???? Great place
Went down there in 2004 with my sister , would not even think of being down there at night on my own , Edinburgh is too creepy at night , and my sister and i are both from Edinburgh , our City is bloddy creepy .Duncan Pitkeathly .
This is a must see my next trip to Edinburgh.
Please read my posts from the bottom up. I had too much to write in one section so I had to break it up :o)
I've been in there!
@donna1167 emmmm no there isnt! the nearest location for air raid shelters from the high street was Blair street! I can assure you there are no other closes under St Giles or parliment square. the only thing that was there before the carpark was the citys burying ground! the holding cells you are talking about were built with the building as......cells!
What year was this from?
great story
Excellent
I haven't been down to the close since it's been opened up to the public, but from what I've seen so far, they've ruined it. That was bound to happen as first they had to make it safe for the general public, but I think they've gone too far by trying to make it so much more commercial.
Imagine living in the times where people threw their human waste out the window...
Awesome!!!!!
Christ! i would be shitting myself
is this real is so please please please reply:)
I'm Scottish and I've been there and believe me it's 100% real! The only place to have ever freaked me right out though was the Niddrie Street vaults, in Edinburgh. I'm 6ft 2" an ex Boxer also and it takes a lot to scare me, but that place is terrifying! Try it and see for yourself?
No sound :(
i feel so sad cause this man is probably dead now
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