St John’s Land

What secrets lie beneath the surface of St John’s Land? Today, St John’s Land stands proudly as part of the University of Edinburgh. But long before the bustle of student life filled its halls, this land held a different purpose. Journey back with me to medieval Edinburgh, a time of knights and chivalry. Here in the Canongate, tucked between St Mary’s Wynd and St John’s Pend, lay a substantial piece of land known as St John’s Land. This land was granted to the Knights of St John, also known as the Knights Hospitallers. These noble warriors, famed for their care of the sick and wounded during the Crusades, held this land from 1309. Charters reveal that St John’s Land was a significant holding, but the question that lingers is, did a grand house or preceptory, a type of monastery for the knights, ever grace this land? Sadly, no physical evidence remains of any structure pre-dating the 16th century, leaving historians to ponder the true extent of the Knights’ presence here. St John’s Land remained under their stewardship until 1437 when it was ‘disposed of,’ the exact details shrouded in the mists of time. Despite the lack of tangible remains, the historical significance of St John’s Land is undeniable. It stands as a silent testament to a bygone era, a time when the Knights of St John walked these very streets. Next time you pass by St John’s Land, let your imagination wander. Picture the Knights Hospitallers, their white mantles adorned with the eight-pointed Maltese cross, going about their duties. Their memory lives on in the very fabric of this ancient city.