Showing posts with label Empress Eugenie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Empress Eugenie. Show all posts

Tuesday 11 June 2024

Skulferatu #121 - Jacob's Ladder, Edinburgh

 

There are many long and steep footpaths and sets of stairs named ‘Jacob’s Ladder.’  They can be found all over Britain and elsewhere in the world. The name comes from the Biblical story in which Jacob had a dream where he saw a ladder that reached from the earth up to the heights of heaven. It was quite a busy ladder with lots of angels ascending and descending it. This prompted many a wit to later ask why they would do so if they had wings. Anyway, Edinburgh also has a Jacob’s Ladder, a narrow and steep path of winding stairs that rises from Calton Road up to Regent Road. The path was first recorded on a map in 1784, but is likely to have been in existence long before then.

 

A photo showing railings and an entrance down some steps, the cityscape of Edinburgh is in the background.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
Entrance to Jacob’s Ladder on Regent Road

 

A view down steep steps curving around a corner.  On both sides there is a wall and in the distance can be seen a large stone wall with a tower and then railway lines and a cityscape of old and tall tenement like buildings.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
A view down the steps

 

A view showing a stone tower on the right hand side and then down below railway tracks leading into a large and white roofed station building.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
A view from Jacob’s Ladder over Waverley Station

 

A photo looking down on a train on the railway tracks.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
A train passing below Jacob’s Ladder

 

Supposedly the path was once used as a funeral procession route from the Old Town of Edinburgh up to the Old Calton Burial Ground. How they did this, I’m not sure given the steepness of the path and the number of stairs, but seemingly they did.  Of course, back then there were maybe no stairs, just a very steep, twisting path. If that was the case, I can picture in my mind the bodies being lugged up the hill on the back of a cart by some worn out old pony, panting and snorting as it dragged its load, while behind it the black clad mourners huffed and puffed, as a fine Edinburgh drizzle soaked them through.

 

In 1860, a royal visitor paid a visit to and made their way down Jacob’s Ladder. Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III of France, had taken a brief trip up to Edinburgh, where she went for a walk around the city with her entourage. After visiting Calton Hill, much to the amazement of the gathered press, she led those with her down the steep and narrow path of Jacob’s Ladder in the sleet and rain, as she wanted to walk up to Arthur’s Seat. Unfortunately, the weather being so bad, she only made it as far as St Anthony’s Chapel in Holyrood Park before deciding to call it a day.

 

A view of steep and wet stone steps curving around with a stone wall on both sides.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
A view down Jacob’s Ladder

 

A view through the bare branches of a tree to an old stone, tower like building.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
View of the Governor’s House from Jacob’s Ladder
(this is all that remains of Calton Jail)

 

Jacob’s Ladder is gated at both entrances, and now these lie open all day every day. However, back in December 1883, these were heavily guarded when ten members of a group known as the Dynamitards were held at the nearby Calton Jail, awaiting trial at Edinburgh High Court. The Dynamitards were a group of Irish Republicans who wanted to establish an independent Irish Republic and, in the cause of this, carried out a bombing campaign, blowing up various sites in London and Glasgow with dynamite. The reason for the overwhelming security on Jacob’s Ladder while they were held at Calton Jail, was that there was a ‘wide sewer’ going up to the jail that could be easily accessed from the path by removing a couple of steps. Given this, there were worries that other members of the group could attempt a rescue or even just dynamite the jail. At the conclusion of the trial, all ten were found guilty of various roles within the bombing campaign, with five sentenced to life imprisonment, and the other five to seven years.

 

Over the years Jacob’s Ladder fell into disrepair, and at night became a path of shadows and darkness with a reputation as a place to be avoided. Then, in 2019 it was refurbished with handrails and lighting, making it a slightly less scary place for a nocturnal walk.

 

A photo of a stone wall sprayed with silver paint and then a black letter D sprayed on it.  On the wall are also the silhouettes of branches and leaves. Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
‘D’ – Shadows on wall

 

A black and white photo showing various metal structures and wires stretching off into the distance - the infrastructure for the electrification of the railway line.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
Pylons and wires – towards Waverley Station

 

A black and white photo looking up a set of stone steps.  On either side is a stone wall - the wall of the right is sprayed with graffiti.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
A view up the steps

 

A view under a bridge to an entrance in a brick wall.  On the wall are several neon light art pieces showing boats and a white boned skeleton.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
The entrance to Jacob’s Ladder from Calton Road

 

An arched stone doorway in a brick wall with a sign hanging down that reads Jacob's Ladder.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
The entrance to Jacob’s Ladder from Calton Road

 

On my wandering up and down the path of Jacob’s Ladder, it was busy with people going to and from work, and tourists exploring. This surprised me given what a wet day it was, and made it difficult to find a place to discreetly put a Skulferatu without looking like I was up to no good. However, during a quiet spell I found a hole in the wall that the Skulferatu with me could slip in nicely, and so I left it there. Then, as I made my way back up, I spotted a flash of brown fur on the grassy slope beside the stairs. Thinking it was one of the many city rats, I called out a hello and a little head appeared out of the undergrowth. The little head of a rather cute looking stoat, who gave a stare and quick sniff and then disappeared back out of sight.

 

A hand, gloved in fingerless gloves, holding a small Ceramic Skull (Skulferatu 121) with the stone steps of Jacob's Ladder in the background.   Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
Skulferatu #121

 

A small Ceramic Skull (Skulferatu 121) in a small hole in a stone wall that has been spray painted white with a red border added.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
Skulferatu #121 in a hole in the wall

 

A close-up of the small Ceramic Skull (Skulferatu 121) in a small hole in a stone wall that has been spray painted white.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
Skulferatu #121 in a hole in the wall

 

TomTom Map showing location of Skulferatu #121
Map showing location of Skulferatu #121

 

The coordinates for the location of the Skulferatu are -

 

Latitude 55.952903

Longitude -3.182683

 

what3words: brass.sector.stops

 

I used the following sources for information on Jacob’s Ladder –

 
Tourist Information at site
 

Edinburgh News and Literary Chronicle - Saturday 24 November 1860
 

Evening Gazette - Tuesday 11 December 1883

 
Edinburgh Evening News - Saturday 22 December 1883