Middle Ages To 19th Century
As the Old Town became ever more crowded during the Middle Ages, the Nor Loch became similarly polluted, by sewage, household waste, and general detritus thrown down the hillside. Historians are divided on whether the loch was ever used for drinking water.
The Nor Loch fulfilled a variety of other roles during this period including:
- Defence: Scotland, and particularly Edinburgh, suffered frequent English invasions during its independence.
- Witch ducking: over 300 suspected witch trials are documented at this site, as commemorated by a plaque on the castle esplanade, and it is possible that many more went undocumented. In many cases, these "trials" would have been fatal, and the suspects thus acquitted.
- Suicides: The Nor Loch was a popular spot for suicide attempts during its existence.
- Crime: The loch appears to have been used both as a smuggling route, and a site for the punishment of crime.
In 1759 the Nor Loch was drained and formed part of Princes Street Gardens, although frequent floods both then and now, threatened to "resurrect" it. For several decades after the Loch was drained, townspeople continued to refer to the area as the Nor Loch.
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