He or his son, also alexander, were responsible for the building of merchiston tower, a fifteenth century towerhouse now incorporated into the merchiston campus of napier university. Charles chalmers younger brother of dr thomas chalmers, moral philosopher, theologian and leading light in the disruption of the church in scotland in 1843 started a small school in 1828, then moved to larger premises in 1833 at merchiston tower from where the school name is derived. His latinized name was ioannes neper john napier is best known as the discoverer of logarithms. Merchiston castle castle in edinburgh, midlothian stravaiging. Merchiston is a residential area around merchiston avenue in the southwest of edinburgh, scotland. The tower was formerly the family home of the napiers of merchiston, including john napier the mathematician who invented logarithms. The basement is vaulted and contains a cellar, reached by a narrow stair, while the ground floor houses the kitchen with a wide fireplace. The book of the old edinburgh club, volume xxxi, the tower of merchiston. Merchiston castle merchiston, in edinburgh, scotland nt2417071800. Ives is set, comprised the policies surrounding merchiston tower, once home of mathematician, john napier, and now edinburgh napier university, on.
Memoirs of john napier of merchiston histories of scottish families. Helen armet and stuart harris, the old edinburgh club, 1962. Three years before the birth of john, in 1547, alexander napier, johns. Trumps testin philip rucker, carol leonnig, hillary huber, penguin audio philip rucker, carol leonnig. Merchiston was a villa suburb by stevensons day, but in 1814 when st. The merchiston estate was acquired in 1438 by alexander napier, a wealthy edinburgh merchant and onetime provost of the city. A corbelledout parapet has rounds at each corner, and there is a conicalroofed caphouse. The tower stands at the centre of edinburgh napier universitys merchiston campus. Merchiston castle was probably built around 1454 by alexander napier, the second laird of merchiston, and is. Merchiston castle napier university edinburgh the castles of. Merchiston castle is an impressive old tower house, home to the napiers including john napier who invented logarithms, and now incorporated into the.
Merchiston tower, also known as merchiston castle, was probably built by alexander napier, the 2nd laird of merchiston around 1454. The tower passed in and out of napier hands over five centuries, and in 1833 william napier, the 9th lord napier. Merchiston tower castle engravings from book modern athens, published in 1829. This was previously home to the merchiston branch of the napier family. After we left, we ended up visiting an old bookstore that had a book about the. A campus forming a major part of edinburgh napier university is in the area. Merchiston castle is an altered strong 15thcentury tower, now lplan, of four storeys and a gabled attic. Mathematics, together with english, the classics and french formed a broad curriculum together with the sciences of which chalmers himself was particularly fond. Scotland, one of them just so happened to be part of my families history.
Home of the merchiston napiers, and now incorporated into the merchiston campus of edinburgh napier university. Merchiston castle was probably built around 1454 by alexander napier, the second laird of merchiston, and is most famous for being the birthplace in 1550 of john napier, the discoverer of logarithms, and the 8th laird of merchiston. Merchiston wikimili, the free encyclopedia wikimili, the free encyclopedia. Charles chalmers younger brother of dr thomas chalmers, moral philosopher, theologian and. This castle used to be an lshaped tower that rose up to four stories, but after many. Other areas near merchiston include morningside to the southeast, burghmuirhead including holy corner and church hillmorningside to the southeast, burghmuirhead including holy corner and church hill. The purpose of this book is to provide a very short, historical account of the life and legacy. Browse for books about american history, ancient history, military history, or browse our picks for the best history books of the year so far. Rare photos not appropriate for history books youtube.
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