(The) West Port is a street in Edinburgh's Old Town, Scotland, located just south of Edinburgh Castle. It runs from Main Point (the junction of Bread Street, Lauriston Street, East Fountainbridge and High Riggs) down to the south west corner of the Grassmarket. Its name derives from the fact it led to the West Port, which was the only westwards exit from the city when the city walls stood,[1] allowing one to pass through the Flodden Wall. The port (gate) itself was demolished in 1786.
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Wester Portsburgh, as the West Port was formerly known, was the main street through the western part of the burgh of Portsburgh[2] - a burgh of barony from 1649[3] to 1856.[4]
The name West Port originally just referred to the gate itself, but can be seen referring to the entire length of the current-day street in maps from around 1837 onwards.[5] Wester Portsburgh was still used on maps as the name for the same street as late as 1831.[6]
Portsburgh can also be seen as the name for the same street in a map from 1836,[7] however this does not serve to distinguish it from the eastern part of Portsburgh (Easter Portsburgh), which was still part of the same burgh at that date, the two parts of Portsburgh having their own administrative systems and baillies.[8]
The Art Nouveau Salvation Army Women's Hostel at the corner of the Grassmarket, The Vennel[14] and the West Port was built in 1910 and is C Listed.[15] Edinburgh College of Art, purchased and used the Hostel, in addition to the next-door Portsburgh Church, entered via the Vennel. Planning permission was granted in October 2007 for the two buildings to be changed to serviced apartments.[16]
Portsburgh Square[17] is on the North side of West Port, close to the Grassmarket and still bears reference to the old 'Portsburgh' and 'Western Portsburgh' names of the area.
Dominating the northern side of West Port at its junction with Lady Lawson Street is Argyle House, built in 1968 to designs by Michael Laird and Partners.[18] Long used as local and national government offices, it is now largely vacant. Cited as one of Edinburgh's 'ugliest buildings', but with an impressive prospect of Edinburgh Castle rock, the site has been earmarked for redevelopment.[19]
Evolution House, the newest building of the Edinburgh College of Art is on the south east corner of West Port and Lady Lawson Street.[20]
Plans have been unveiled for a new building to be constructed on the West Port side of the block between Lady Lawson Street and Lauriston Street, to be called Westport 102.[21] This would be built on the same site as the old Post Office headquarters, which famously collapsed during demolition, leading to several roads being closed in the area for an extended period of time.[22]
The road is also notable for the large number of second hand book shops (seven) which line the street. These shops have recently clubbed together to celebrate this sometimes neglected street by launching a new book festival, called the West Port Book Festival. Acknowledging the mix of bookshops and strip clubs, they have christened the area as Edinburgh's Soho.[23][24]