Why spit on the Heart of Midlothian?
The Heart of Midlothian is a granite mosaic heart, set into the road on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. It marks the position of the Old Tolbooth, a building which stood there from the 15th to the 19th century. The Old Tolbooth was the administrative centre of Edinburgh, in the county of Midlothian, during that time. Hence, the name Heart of Midlothian. It was also a prison and site of public execution. If you look closely, you’ll find brass markers on the pavement near St Giles’ Cathedral, which show where the Old Tolbooth walls once stood.
An act of contempt
It is a local custom to spit on the Heart of Midlothian as you walk past. This is because the heart is in the place where the door to the Old Tolbooth prison once was. The infamous prison was known for its horrific conditions, and stories of terror, torture and execution surrounded it. When the building was destroyed in 1817, the granite heart served as a reminder of this dreaded site. The custom of spitting on the heart started as an act of contempt.
A good luck gesture
Over time, the tradition of spitting on the Heart of Midlothian has changed from expressing contempt to a superstitious gesture. Now, tourists and locals alike often spit on the Heart of Midlothian for good luck, although the original meaning remains rooted in disdain for the prison system that once stood there.
Walter Scott’s Heart of Midlothian
In 1818, Sir Walter Scott published his seventh Waverley Novel, widely regarded as one of his greatest works. It was later titled ‘The Heart of Midlothian’, referring to the Old Tolbooth. This led to the installation of the heart-shaped mosaic to mark where it once stood. Scott’s stories helped to keep the memory of this hated place alive and the tradition of spitting on the Heart of Midlothian continues to this day.
