the wall of No 16 St Catherine's Place marks the site of the convent. Up until the early 19th century, much of the area of present-day Sciennes was occupied by just a few mansions and large villas, each set in its own grounds. By the end of the century, these had largely been replaced by terraces of Victorian tenements. In contrast to neighbouring Marchmont, where the tenements had been developed according to an overall design, those in Sciennes grew up in a more piecemeal fashion. The area also included some industrial development, notably the extensive engineering works and foundry of Bertrams Ltd, an international manufacturer of paper-making machinery. The works stood on the corner of Sciennes Road and (the street named) Sciennes. They were demolished in 1985, the site now being occupied by residential flats. Origins of street names The Convent of St Catherine of Scienna gives its name to Sciennes itself and to several of its streets (such as Sciennes Road and Sciennes Gardens) as well as to St Catherine's Place. Other streets in the district, especially those that were developed in the 19th century, are named after notable figures of the day. These include Livingstone Place, for the explorer, David Livingstone; Gladstone Terrace, for William Ewart Gladstone, the Liberal Prime Minister; and Lord Russell Place, for Lord John Russell, a Whig and Liberal Prime Minister. Notable buildings Built around 1741, Sciennes Hill House was originally a substantial three-story town house set in a large garden. It was partly demolished in 1868, the remaining parts of the structure being incorporated into a terrace of Victorian tenements which now make up the north side of Sciennes House Place. The north elevation was the original front of the house. This still contains some of the original architectural features but these are not visible from the street. The street frontage was originally the back of the house. The interior of the building was sympathetically restored in 1988. In the winter of 1786–87, the house was the location of the only recorded meeting of Robert Burns and Walter Scott, at a literary dinner hosted by the philosopher Professor Adam Ferguson. A bronze plaque on the outside of the building commemorates the event. Sciennes House Place is also the location of the Old Jewish Burial Ground, the first Jewish cemetery in Scotland. It was opened in 1816 by the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation and closed