THE COWGATE (SCOTS: THE COUGAIT) FOR PART OF THE LOWER LEVEL OF EDINBURGH'S OLD TOWN, WHICH LIES BELOW THE ELEVATED STREETS OF SOUTH BRIDGE AND GEORGE IV BRIDGE. THE LINE OF COWGATE IS SHOWN ON EARLY MAPS OF EDINBURGH, WHERE FROM THE 1490S IT WAS MARKED AS VIA VACCARUM, MEANING 'THE WAY OF THE COWS'. IT WAS A ROAD WHICH LAY OUTSIDE OF THE CITY BOUNDARIES FOR MUCH OF ITS HISTORY, AND AT A TIME WHEN IT WAS ILLEGAL TO DRIVE CATTLE THROUGH THE CITY STREETS THE COWGATE PROVIDED A ROUTE TO BRING CATTLE FROM THE FIELDS AND PASTURES TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF EDINBURGH TO THE CATTLE MARKET NEAR THE GRASSMARKET.