Crochallan Fencibles

The Crochallan Fencibles was an 18th-century Edinburgh convivial men's club that met in Daniel ("Dawney") Douglas's tavern on Anchor Close, a public house off the High Street (part of the Royal Mile).

[1] The 16th century doorway bore the inscription "O Lord In The(e) is All My Traist (trust)".

[2] Its name was made up from two sources: Crochallan is derived from a song, "Crodh Chailein'" ("Colin's Cattle"), which was a favourite of the then Landlord Daniel Douglas, and Fencibles was a name for regiments of garrison troops which were raised for the defence of Great Britain (an 18th-century Home Guard).

[1] William Smellie, the editor of the first edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, was the founder of the club.

Burns compiled a book of popular songs for the club called The Merry Muses of Caledonia in which he writes of Smellie:[5] And, though his caustic wit was biting rude, His heart was warm, benevolent, and good.