St Giles' High Church

Royal Mile

Edinburgh

NGR - NT 257736

Often referred to as St Giles' Cathedral, this is the principal church in Edinburgh.

The church is regularly open to the public. For more information, visit the church website. At one time the church was divided into three places of worship - Tolbooth Church, Old Church and Haddow's Hole Church.

Haddo's Hole

The north-west corner of St Giles High Kirk in Edinburgh had been known as Haddo’s Hole since 1644, but properly as the Albany Aisle. It had been the prison of Sir John Gordon of Haddo, in Aberdeenshire, a Royalist who had been captured and held prisoner. He was beheaded in 1644. Although the prison became known as Haddo’s Hole after its inmate, as time passed this was changed to Haddow’s or even Haddock’s Hole.

After the Battle of Rullion Green in 1666, a number of Covenanters were held in this part of the church as a temporary prison.