Exploring Edinburgh’s Medieval Cesspool, Nor Loch

Edinburgh’s Nor Loch, a man-made body of water that once stretched beneath the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, holds a surprising and grim place in the city's history. What is now the peaceful expanse of Princes Street Gardens was once a fetid, polluted, and mysterious loch—a waterway that served as both a defense mechanism and a dark dumping ground for the unwanted, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

The rise and fall of this loch encapsulates centuries of Edinburgh’s transformation. From its creation as part of the city's medieval fortifications to its eventual drainage and reinvention as a green space, the story of Nor Loch is steeped in tales of crime, death, and urban evolution. But what truly happened to Edinburgh's man-made loch, and why did it disappear? Let’s dive into the murky waters of this historic landmark.