Overview of Advocate's Close

Located on Edinburgh's High Street, opposite St. Giles Cathedral, is Advocate's Close. It takes its name from Sir James Stewart, the first Lord Advocate of Scotland, who served in this role between 1692 and 1713 and had his house in the close. The earliest building in the close was completed for a merchant called Clement Cor in 1590 and over the doorway are two inscriptions; Spes Altera Vitae (another hope of life) and Blissit be God of al his Giftis. Through the close is Adam Bothwell's House (c.1630), named after a Bishop of Orkney who was responsible for running the Abbey and estates of Holyrood after the Reformation.

The close descends steeply to the north, but then takes a dog-leg to the east, dropping down to the lower end of Cockburn Street.