Hidden beneath Morningside’s streets lies the Jordan Burn. A stream now mostly culverted its story is far from dull. For centuries the Jordan Burn served as Edinburgh’s southern boundary. It’s a tributary of the Braid Burn. It even appeared on the Roy map of 1753. The name? An obvious allusion to its position between areas nicknamed ‘Egypt’ and ‘Canaan’.
Originally called the Pow Burn this waterway’s name changed. The Pow Burn was a less flattering moniker. It referred to the burn’s often dirty and unpleasant state. The Jordan Burn’s name appeared later. It reflects a cluster of biblical place names in Morningside. These names include Eden Paradise Nile and Salem. They’re all linked to a farm called ‘Little Egypt’. This farm stood near where Nile Grove and Woodburn Terrace meet today.
The ‘Little Egypt’ farm hints at a possible 16th-century gypsy presence. Official documents from James V’s reign mention ‘Egyptians’. The lands north of the farm were called ‘Canaan’. The biblical names blossomed during the Victorian era. Bible-conscious Morningside residents perpetuated the tradition. This contributed to Morningside’s nickname: Edinburgh’s ‘Bible Belt’.
The Jordan Burn’s course is fascinating. It rises on Craighouse Hill. It flows under Myreside Road. It runs alongside the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. It’s fed by the Comiston Burn. It flows under Morningside Road. It passes under Woodburn Terrace. It surfaces briefly near the Astley Ainslie Hospital. Then it continues to Blackford. It becomes the Pow Burn near Mayfield. It eventually joins the Braid Burn at Peffermill. Finally it becomes the Figgate Burn. This joins the Firth of Forth at Portobello. The entire journey? Approximately ten miles.
In the 1880s Morningside developed rapidly. Much of the Jordan Burn was enclosed in pipes and culverts. It became hidden from sight. Despite being underground its impact remains visible. A collapsed tenement near Morningside Road stands as testament. This collapse is evidence of the burn’s influence on the area’s stability. The remains are a reminder of the force of nature beneath our feet. The Jordan Burn’s story reminds us that even hidden elements shape our cities. Even today its legacy lives on.