plainstanes

But in old Edinburgh all were piled one on the top of another -- the Parliament House within sight of the shops, the great official and the poor artificer under the same roof: and round that historical spot over which St. Giles's crown rose like the standard of the city, the whole community crowded, stalls and booths of every kind encumbering the street, while special pleaders and learned judges picked their steps in their dainty buckled shoes through the mud and refuse of the most crowded noisy market-place, and all the great personages of Edinburgh paced the "plainstanes" close by at certain hours, unheeding either smell or garbage or the resounding cries of the street.

Royal Edinburgh Her Saints, Kings, Prophets and Poets George Reid 1862

I with a maddening sense of awkwardness, that was not much bettered by the tattle of the plainstanes, where merchant lads and others made audible comment on the cousinly ardour of young Lachie.

John Splendid The Tale of a Poor Gentleman, and the Little Wars of Lorn Neil Munro

` ` Od, lass, '' said Mrs. Shortcake, weighing it in her hand, and wishing, doubtless, that the too, too solid wax would melt and dissolve itself, ` ` I wad like to ken what's in the inside o 'this, for that Lovel dings a' that ever set foot on the plainstanes o '

The Antiquary 1845

Regular for a fortnight were the inquiries of the Antiquary at the veteran Caxon, whether he had heard what Mr. Lovel was about; and as regular were Caxon's answers, ` ` that the town could learn naething about him whatever, except that he had received anither muckle letter or twa frae the south, and that he was never seen on the plainstanes at a '.' '

The Antiquary 1845

I am delighted to find Mrs. Morritt is recovering health and strength -- better walking on the beach at Worthing than on the _plainstanes_ of Prince's Street, for the weather is very severe here indeed.

Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Scott, Volume V (of 10) 1824

"Od, lass," said Mrs. Shortcake, weighing it in her hand, and wishing, doubtless, that the too, too solid wax would melt and dissolve itself, "I wad like to ken what's in the inside o 'this, for that Lovel dings a' that ever set foot on the plainstanes o 'Fairport -- naebody kens what to make o' him."

The Antiquary — Complete Walter Scott 1801

Regular for a fortnight were the inquiries of the Antiquary at the veteran Caxon, whether he had heard what Mr. Lovel was about; and as regular were Caxon's answers, "that the town could learn naething about him whatever, except that he had received anither muckle letter or twa frae the south, and that he was never seen on the plainstanes at a '."

The Antiquary — Complete Walter Scott 1801

Regular for a fortnight were the inquiries of the Antiquary at the veteran Caxon, whether he had heard what Mr. Lovel was about; and as regular were Caxon's answers, "that the town could learn naething about him whatever, except that he had received anither muckle letter or twa frae the south, and that he was never seen on the plainstanes at a '."

The Antiquary — Volume 01 Walter Scott 1801

"Od, lass," said Mrs. Shortcake, weighing it in her hand, and wishing, doubtless, that the too, too solid wax would melt and dissolve itself, "I wad like to ken what's in the inside o 'this, for that Lovel dings a' that ever set foot on the plainstanes o 'Fairport -- naebody kens what to make o' him."

The Antiquary — Volume 01 Walter Scott 1801

"for," said he, "the callant will hae runnin 'about on the causeway and plainstanes o' Carlisle sufficient to drive a 'the shoon in the world aff his feet."

Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume XXIII Alexander Leighton 1837