21-417: Merchiston Tower , also known as Merchiston Castle , was probably built by Alexander Napier , the 2nd Laird of Merchiston around 1454. It serves as the seat for Clan Napier . It was the home of John Napier , the 8th Laird of Merchiston and the inventor of logarithms , who was born there in 1550. The tower stands at the centre of Edinburgh Napier University 's Merchiston campus. The lands surrounding
42-653: A Provost , only the four main cities ( Edinburgh , Glasgow , Aberdeen and Dundee ) have a Lord Provost . In Edinburgh this position dates from 1667, when Charles II elevated the Provost to the status of Lord Provost, with the same rank and precedence as the Lord Mayor of London . The title of Lord Provost is enshrined in the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 . Prior to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
63-828: A meeting place for Edinburgh merchants and known as the Edinburgh Royal Exchange. The Lord Provost takes part in a number of ceremonies and traditions, including The Edinburgh Ceremony of the Keys , the Kirking of the Deacons, The Riding of the Marches and the Edinburgh Hogmanay . The Lord Provost also coordinates Armed Forces Day parades with both the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and The Royal Regiment of Scotland . Whilst
84-642: A professor of astronomy at the University of Edinburgh . The Napier family again came into possession of Merchiston Castle in 1818, when it was purchased by William Napier, 9th Lord Napier . In 1833, Lord Napier let the Tower to Charles Chalmers, who founded the Merchiston Castle School . It was sold outright to the school in 1914 by The Honourable John Scott Napier, fourteenth Laird of Merchiston (son of Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier ). The school vacated
105-614: Is elected by and is the convener of the City of Edinburgh Council and serves not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the entire city, ex officio the Lord-Lieutenant of Edinburgh and honorarily the Admiral of the Firth of Forth . It is the equivalent in many ways to the institution of Mayor that exists in many other countries. While some of Scotland's local authorities elect
126-561: The Ministry of Transport after the Edinburgh corporation missed out on acquiring Scotland’s first number plate, S1 at the turn of the 20th century. A number of other licence plates are owned by the council for other official vehicles, including S10 and SS10. In 2012 it was proposed that the licence plates could be sold to help raise funds for the city, however this plan does not appear to have gone ahead. The High Constables of Edinburgh serve as
147-399: The 1960s, a 26-pound cannonball was found embedded in the Tower, thought to date from the struggle in 1572 between Mary, Queen of Scots , and supporters of her son, James VI . In March 1584 Edinburgh town council sold Archibald Napier of Edinbellie a piece of land to extend his garden. In 1659, the castle was sold to Ninian Lowis, in whose family it remained until 1729, when it was sold to
168-752: The 1973 Act changed the governance of the City, the Lord Provost retains a relationship with the Merchants Company and Incorporated Trades. The High Constables continue to serve as the Lord Provost's bodyguards. The Lord Provost is also by virtue of their office the Lord High Admiral of the Firth of Forth. The Lord Provost chairs meetings of Edinburgh City Council at the Edinburgh City Chambers , originally opened in 1760 by Lord Provost George Drummond as
189-724: The City of Edinburgh was run by a single-tier body called the Edinburgh Corporation , of which the Lord Provost was chair. Akin to the Corporation of the City of London , the body included council representatives from the Incorporated Trades of Edinburgh and the Merchant Company of Edinburgh . The corporations security was provided by the High Constables of Edinburgh , who also serve as the Provost's bodyguard. Although
210-575: The Lord Provost technically has no official residence, Lauriston Castle - a property bequeathed to the Edinburgh Corporation and now under the ownership of Edinburgh City Council - has been used to host the Lord Provost's annual Garden Party. It was suggested in 2013 that Lauriston Castle be renovated and turned into an official residence for the Lord Provost, however the cost at the time was deemed too prohibitive. Lord Provosts are entitled to two ceremonial Baillie's Lamps outside their home in
231-532: The Lord Provost's ceremonial bodyguard and form the Lord Provost's Platoon at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo . The Lord Provost also has a team of six bailies to support their work, appointed by Edinburgh City Council . Whenever the monarch is in residence in Edinburgh, the Lord Provost is called upon to undertake the Ceremony of the Keys (Edinburgh) . The Lord Provost has a reserved pew at Kirk of
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#1732872675888252-587: The addition of a castellated Gothic-style two-story extension (see picture) and a basement, which has since been removed. Edinburgh Napier University has taken out large sections of wall on the northern extension to accommodate a corridor which runs through the Castle to other campus buildings. 55°56′0″N 3°12′50″W / 55.93333°N 3.21389°W / 55.93333; -3.21389 Alexander Napier (2nd Laird of Merchiston) Sir Alexander Napier, 2nd Laird of Merchiston (died c. 1474 )
273-480: The building in 1930, moving to a site some three miles away. In 1930 the property returned to the ownership of The Merchant Company, who used nearby playing fields for George Watson's College , which was soon itself to move nearby. Then in 1935 the tower passed to Edinburgh City Council . It remained unoccupied (except for war service) until 1956, when it was suggested as the centrepiece of a new technical college. Restoration work began in 1958, highlights of which were
294-474: The castle were acquired before 1438 by Alexander Napier (1st Laird of Merchiston) , and remained in the Napier family for most of the following five centuries. Merchiston Castle was probably built as a country house, but its strategic position and the turbulent political situation required it to be heavily fortified – with some walls as much as six feet thick – and it was frequently under siege. During restoration in
315-408: The city (few chose this to be done). These are green and gold street lamps. These lamps remain in place for the duration of the Lord Provost's term in office. When they demit the office one was removed, while the other remains for the duration of the Lord Provost's life or occupancy of said building. The Lord Provost's official car bears the licence plate S0. This licence plate was issued specially by
336-400: The discovery of the entrance drawbridge and the preservation of a seventeenth-century plaster ceiling. It now stands at the centre of Edinburgh Napier University’s Merchiston campus. The Tower is an interesting and elaborate example of the medieval tower house , being built on the familiar "L" plan with a wing projecting to the north. It was originally vaulted at the second floor and
357-549: The governors of George Watson's Hospital (the Merchant Company of Edinburgh ). The tower was reacquired by the Napier of Merchiston family when Francis Napier, 6th Lord Napier bought it in 1752. In 1772, a year before the sixth Lord's death, the Tower was sold to a relative, Charles Hope-Weir , second son of John Hope, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun . Weir sold it in 1775 to Robert Turner, a lawyer, who sold it in 1785 to Robert Blair ,
378-480: The queen-mother, Joan Beaufort , and then served as Comptroller to James II (1449–61), ambassador to England (1451 and 1461), and was knighted and appointed Vice-Admiral of Scotland before 7 July 1461. In 1468 he was named joint-commissioner, with Andrew Stewart, lord chancellor , to negotiate a marriage between James III and Margaret , daughter of Christian I of Denmark . Napier was sent on special embassies to Bruges , in 1472, and to Burgundy , in 1473. He
399-419: The roof. Among several remarkable features is the unusual elaboration of the main entrance, which is at the second floor level in the south front. The tall shallow recess in which the doorway is set undoubtedly housed a drawbridge which must have rested upon an outwork some 14 feet above ground level and 10 feet from the Tower. Shortly after being let to Merchiston Castle School it was considerably altered with
420-402: Was a Scottish politician and diplomat. He thrice served as Provost of Edinburgh (1453–55, 1456–62, and 1469–74), and served as Commissioner for Edinburgh in the parliaments of 1458, 1463, 1464, 1469, 1471 and 1473. Alexander was the son and heir of Alexander Napare (Napier) , first Laird of Merchiston, a burgess and Provost (1437) of Edinburgh. He initially belonged to the household of
441-1024: Was married to Elizabeth Lauder (1410-1470). They were parents to Sir John Napier, 3rd Laird of Merchiston, Provost of Edinburgh 1484–5. He died some time between 24 October 1473 and 15 February 1474. His descendants included the world-famous mathematician John Napier . Provost of Edinburgh Charles III William , Duke of Rothesay Swinney government The Rt Hon John Swinney MSP The Rt Hon John Swinney MSP Kate Forbes MSP Sixth session Alison Johnstone MSP Angela Constance MSP Dorothy Bain KC The Rt Hon Lord Carloway KC PC United Kingdom Parliament elections European Parliament elections Local elections Referendums Starmer ministry The Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP The Rt Hon Ian Murray MP The Right Honourable Lord Provost of Edinburgh
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