South Bridge Underground Vaults
Mercat Tours Ltd.
Mercat House, Niddry Street South
Edinburgh EH1 1NS
Scotland
Tel: 44 (0) 131-557-6464
Website: www.mercattours.com
Edinburgh's South Bridge was built in 1785. Its 19 arches span the Cowgate Ravine and connect the central part of the city with a flat area of land to the south that was needed for further growth of the city. In Medieval times, it was important for people to live as close as possible to the castle for protection. But as time went on, concern for a marauding invading army waned, and the populace spread out. Soon, housing filled in the valley, abutting right against the bridge itself. What were once open arches were now sealed in. The impoverished and those who made their living selling their services and wares upon the bridge itself soon used these enclosed arches as workshops, storage facilities, and even homes.
The living conditions were less than ideal, but the poor had no other choice as far as shelter went. To add to the problems of living under the bridge, the construction wasn't watertight. Rainwater made its way down the walls and cracks and pooled in the lowest areas.
During the Irish Potato Famine of 1845 to 1847, the destitute Irish came over to Scotland seeking a better life. Many had no money, no employment, and very few prospects, so they settled in the vaults. Prostitution, whiskey stills, gambling, fights, and murders were all taking place in the vaults in the latter half of the 19th century. By the early 20th century, the vaults were permanently sealed off in hopes of cutting out the stronghold of Edinburgh's dark side. The vaults stayed shut until the 1980s, when they were rediscovered by a local property owner. Soon after, sections of the vaults were open to the public for walking tours. But the tour guides and guests soon discovered they weren't alone in the underground vaults.
There are many spirits that seem to still be calling the underbelly of the bridge home. There are many children, including Jack, a young boy in late 18th-century dress, who some local psychics believe died during the bridge's construction. Other guests have heard children's laughter, and some adults have reported feeling a child's hand slip into theirs as they walked along the tour. But the most sinister of the South Bridge vault spirits is the one they call Mr. Boots.
If someone seems intentionally frightened, or if a psychically sensitive person feels threatened, it's attributed to Mr. Boots. Des Brogan, one of the founders of Mercat Tours and coauthor of the book Hidden and Haunted: Underground Edinburgh (Mercat Tours, 1999) said, "We call him that because he wears knee-length boots, very rough trousers that fit into the boots, and a very dirty ruffled white shirt. He's unkempt and unshaven, and he has very bad breath. We know this because people can smell it. If our guide is telling stories, he will appear behind the group. And only some people in the group will see him. But as soon as he's spotted, he disappears."