GEORGE HERIOT'S SCHOOL

Construction of this building began in 1628, in accordance with a bequest by Goldsmith to the Crown, George Heriot, of 25,000 pounds for the purpose of schooling "puir faitherless bairns".

It was sited outside the City walls next to Greyfriars Kirk and overlooked by the Castle to the North.

The finished building was first used by Oliver Cromwell and his English army as a barracks, having been captured as part of the English Invasion
of Scotland during the Third English Civil War.

In 1859 it began to function as the intended charitable school initially with just 39 orphaned children. In the 1880's it began to charge fees, though still provided free education to "foundationers" (fatherless children) as it does to this day.

In 1837 a further ten schools were established around the city to provide free education (all closed by 1885), in addition to significant funding to an institution which would later become Heriot Watt College (now Heriot Watt University.)