Heart of Midlothian

The term of the Heart of Midlothian comes from Sir Walter Scott's novel, where he describes the Tolbooth prison, situated exactly in the heart of a county, with that term. Nowadays however it is more connected with Edinburgh's football team than Scott's 7th novel. The Old Tolbooth, originally a place where one should come and pay their taxes, in 1640 became a gaol for debtors. It was demolished in 1817, it's heavy wooden door, presented to Scott as a gift. Nowadays it is just an outline in the cobblestones in front of the St Giles cathedral.

Approximately at the same time as the city municipalities removed Tolbooth, they got rid of small, private shops called Luckenbooths: the timber-fronted tenements of up to 6 storeys high which hosted various businesses, in Scott's novel called 'haberdashers' goods' - they were removed from the north wall of the cathedral creating a modern, wide passage.

Sometimes I like to be a visitor in the city where I live on an everyday basis. I have only noticed the heart shaped pattern in front of the St Giles today! The cathedral is situated behind me while I am taking the picture of the pavement.