Scotland's first public theatre was opened - On this day in Scottish history

Playwright Allan Ramsay (pictured) opened Scotland's first public theatre at Carrubber's Close in Edinburgh on 8 November 1736. The theatre's future was to be short-lived as due to the disapproval of the strict Protestant kirk, the theatre was declared illegal and closed months after it opened. Ramsay was a resident of Carruber's Close, which is just off the Royal Mile.

 

The theatre was re-opened in 1767 by David Ross, a London actor who also opened the world's first lending library, from a bookshop on Edinburgh's Royal Mile.

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