West Port, Edinburgh

West Port

Main Point, the historic junction of the three roads (2nd l. to r.) to Carlisle, Glasgow and Stirling
Former name(s)	Wester Portsburgh
Length	0.2 mi (0.3 km)
Coordinates	55°56′47″N 3°12′00″W / 55.94639°N 3.20000°W / 55.94639; -3.20000
west end	Main Point
east end	Grassmarket

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 sloped up from the town gate named the West Port, which was the only westwards exit from the city when the city walls stood, allowing passage through the Flodden Wall. The port itself was demolished in 1786.

Wester Portsburgh, as the West Port was formerly known, was the main street through the western part of the burgh of Portsburgh - a burgh of barony from 1649 to 1856.

The name West Port originally referred only to the gate itself, but was used for the entire length of the street leading away from the gate in maps from around 1837 onwards.Wester Portsburgh still appeared as the name of the street on maps as late as 1831.

Portsburgh can also be seen as the name for the same street in a map from 1836. 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.

The Art Nouveau Salvation Army Women's Hostel at the corner of the Grassmarket, The Vennel and the West Port was built in 1910 and is C Listed.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.

The name of Portsburgh Square on the north side of West Port is a reminder of the area's older name.