In this episode, we scale the vertical heights of Edinburgh’s Old Town to understand how a 350-million-year-old volcanic plug created a "Manhattan of the Middle Ages." We analyze the Crag and Tail formation—a geological fluke that forced the city to build some of the world’s first high-rise tenements—and explore the architectural science required to keep 14 stories of rubble masonry standing on a steep slope.

In this episode, we scale the vertical heights of Edinburgh’s Old Town to understand how a 350-million-year-old volcanic plug created a "Manhattan of the Middle Ages." We analyze the Crag and Tail formation—a geological fluke that forced the city to build some of the world’s first high-rise tenements—and explore the architectural science required to keep 14 stories of rubble masonry standing on a steep slope.

08. Crag, Tail, and the World’s First Skyscrapers

Welcome to the only heritage podcast curated by a Schnauzer-Poodle with high standards and a low tolerance for slow walking.Follow along as we trace the McIntyre lineage from the rugged peaks of the Highlands to the architectural marvels of London. Your host, Eddie, has vetted every historical fact, clan genealogy record, and Brutalist concrete structure to ensure maximum density and zero fluff (well, except for his own).Whether we’re dissecting the science of 1937 glass curtain walls or debating the structural integrity of Edinburgh Castle, this is the definitive audio companion for the March 2026 expedition. James, consider this your official briefing. Everyone else: keep up, or Eddie might just leave you at the station.

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Welcome to the only heritage podcast curated by a Schnauzer-Poodle with high standards and a low tolerance for slow walking. Follow along as we trace the McIntyre lineage from the rugged peaks of the Highlands to the architectural marvels of London. Your host, Eddie, has vetted every historical fact, clan genealogy record, and Brutalist concrete structure to ensure maximum density and zero fluff (well, except for his own). Whether we’re dissecting the science of 1937 glass curtain walls or debating the structural integrity of Edinburgh Castle, this is the definitive audio companion for the March 2026 expedition. James, consider this your official briefing. Everyone else: keep up, or Eddie might just leave you at the station.

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08. Crag, Tail, and the World’s First Skyscrapers

08. Crag, Tail, and the World’s First Skyscrapers