Tron Kirk

Documentary research undertaken at the same time was able to provide a picture of the occupants of the buildings back to the late 15th century.

Aikenhead was prosecuted for saying "I wish I were in that place Ezra calls hell so I could warm myself" as he walked by the kirk on his way back from a night of drinking with some classmates.

The Tron, as it is commonly called,[6] was ordered to be built by King Charles I when he decided that St Giles' was to become the cathedral for the new see of Edinburgh.

The width of the building was reduced when both side aisles were removed in 1785 to accommodate the South Bridge and Blair Street leading to Hunter Square.

[9] In 1974 archaeological excavations took place under the church which revealed foundations of 16th-century buildings from a long-vanished close, Marlins Wynd, named after a stonemason Walter Merlioun who lived there in 1500.

Traditionally the Tron was a place of gathering to celebrate New Year, mainly because of its chiming clock, high on the spire, and visible (and audible) over a wide area.

However, it was announced in November 2012 that this historic venue would re-stake its claim to the city's hogmanay celebrations, with a Festival of the Extraordinary planned to include live music, film screenings and, amongst other things, a mixology masterclass.

The exhibition aimed to capture the essence of the World Heritage Site in Edinburgh through the voices and opinions of local people.

The story was told in a series of videos, quotes, and specially commissioned portraits from the Scottish photographer Alicia Bruce.

[14] In June 2022, the SHBT announced that, from 1 July 2022, the building would be used on a short-term basis as a retail outlet by a social enterprise, Scottish Design Exchange.