Spitting on The Heart

The Heart of Midlothian is a heart-shaped mosaic built into the pavement on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. Folklore says that spitting on the Heart will bring good luck.

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[PSY123L]

The tradition of spitting on this spot was the people's way to show disgust for the Law Officers in Edinburgh at that time. The hanging on this spot of innocent people who were blamed for crimes they did not commit. Any crime had to be solved quickly, so any poor person was arrested, a quick trial and then hung on this spot. The real reason for the act of spitting has been almost forgotten; however, when I spit, it is for the real reason and I always hope and pray these times never return

[PeterPiperPeppers]

Thanks for your comment. I've always been fascinated by it - how the tradition arose and how now the original reason has been lost in time.

[hearts76100]

Since 1902....THATS MA LAST WORD TO THE WEE TEAM WHOM HAVE NO HISTORY!!!

Only one tean in Edinburgh!

And there only will be!

[utrapzab]

tyhe only people that spit on it these days are the bitter hibbys who cant stand the fact they are the wee team of the city.

i was always told it was the spot of the last hanging in edinburgh, so some of the information on here is a bit of a revelation

[edinburghskeptics]

Sorry dude. I've spent the past year or so researching Edinburgh's history as I've started a tour company here. Although most of what you said is correct- there was a tolbooth there and the Prison had been around since the 15th century (the the date is debatable). It wasn't a spot were people were unjustly hung. The hanging spot was toward the west on a two story building to the side of the tolbooth not in front of the building.

[ornumdivad]

Edinburgh born and bred here and i agree with PSY123L, as a child i was told that spot was where folk were unjustly hung so folk started spitting there to show contempt for the folk that killed them.There was a prison and a tollbooth there at one point as well so the spitting could be linked to that also. Now folk spit there for luck while only guessing the real reason it all started, which is fine :)

[Kenneth Mac]

Due to Council re-organisations, Edinburgh is a local Authority in its own right, so HoM is not technically in Midlothian

[scottishlowoflow]

you spit on the heart because their Hibernian FC fans nowadays