Heart of Midlothian (Royal Mile)
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The Heart of Midlothian is a mosaic located outside St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh. The heart marks the location of the entrance to Edinburgh's Old Tolbooth which was demolished in 1817.[1] Locals will often spit upon the heart as a sign of good luck. While the tradition is now one of good luck, it was originally believed to be done as a sign of disdain for the executions which took place within the Old Tolbooth.[2]
The Edinburgh football team Heart of Midlothian F.C. takes its name from the Old Tolbooth, and the mosaic which marks its former location.[3]
References
- ^ Cosh, Mary (2003). Edinburgh: The Golden Age. Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited. p. 542. ISBN 978-1-78027-258-0. OCLC 908403124.
- ^ Monuments and Statues of Edinburgh, Michael T.R.B. Turnbull (Chambers) p.17
- ^ "History | Heart Of Midlothian Football Club". www.heartsfc.co.uk. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
External links
- A short documentary with both locals and tourists giving their differing views about the origin of spitting on The Heart.
- Picture of the Tolbooth in Edinburgh City Libraries' Capital Collections
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