Symson the Printer's House, Cowgate Edinburgh

Virtual reconstruction of the building known as Symson the Printer’s House, in Cowgate (Edinburgh), depicted during snowfall. The building probably dated from the 16th century, and was removed in the 19th century. It is a representative example of lost architecture of Edinburgh, Cowgate in particular.

Cowgate’s name is derived from the medieval use of the street, as livestock was brought from the countryside by this route to the market. By 1500, most of High Street and Canongate were built up, so residents overflowed into Cowgate, and it became quite a fashionable area in the 17th century. The house object of this virtual reconstruction is depicted in multitude of illustrations and paintings. Although its use changed over time, it is known by the name of Andrew Symson, a former Church of Scotland minister from Wigtown, who opened a printing house in this building around 1697.