A sprawling expanse of green greets you. This is The Meadows Edinburgh. Feel the soft grass beneath your feet.
The Meadows is more than just a park. It’s a historical landmark. It’s common land technically owned by the community. For centuries animals grazed here. Only in the 20th century did it become a dedicated park.
Imagine a time before The Meadows as we know it. A large loch once occupied this space. This was the town’s water supply before 1621. People called it the “burgh loch” or the “South Loch”. It stretched from Hope Park Terrace to Brougham Street. It was drained in the 17th century. Sir Thomas Hope later transformed the marshland. He created a park with paths hedges avenues and even a summer house.
For decades maps showed this as “The Meadows or Hope Park”. The Royal Company of Archers practiced here. An 1827 Act of Parliament protected it from development. Public access wasn’t fully established until the mid-19th century. The Meadows hosted the 1886 International Exhibition. A huge glass pavilion was built temporarily. The whale jawbones you see here originally formed an arch over a path. They were part of the Zetland and Fair Isle Knitters Association display. Sadly they are too damaged to be restored. A bronze replica is planned.
The Meadows played a vital role in Edinburgh’s football history. Hearts and Hibernian played their first derby match here on December 25 1875. During World War II over 500 allotments were created for Victory gardens. These lasted into the 1960s. A proposed flyover was thankfully stopped.
Today The Meadows hosts many events. The annual Meadows Marathon attracts almost 1000 runners. The Meadows Festival takes place each June. It’s also a venue for Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival. The Edinburgh Moon Walk starts and finishes here. It’s a space for protests and rallies. The Make Poverty History march in 2005 drew 225000 people.
Notice the mature elms. Dutch elm disease has affected them. Many wych elm and Huntingdon elm trees survive. Replanting with disease-resistant varieties continues. The Meadows is a dynamic space. It’s a place of history sport and community. It’s a vibrant green heart of Edinburgh.