Wynd
A wynd is a narrow lane in a Scottish town that, unlike a close, was a public thoroughfare connecting one street with another. Closes could be gated at night; wynds were open to everyone and wide enough to carry traffic between parts of the town.
In practice
In Edinburgh the distinction mostly survives in names. Many of the Old Town's wynds were widened or rebuilt into ordinary streets during the Victorian improvements, so a lane that was once a wynd may now carry cars. Where the word remains on a sign, expect a through route rather than a dead end, though it may still be steep and stepped. The word is common across Scotland: you will also meet wynds in Leith, Stirling and many smaller burghs.
Why it matters to newcomers
When a map shows a wynd, it is usually worth taking: it was built to get you from one street to another. The close-or-wynd question is also a favourite with tour guides, so it helps to know the short answer - private passage versus public lane.
Related
- Close - the private, once-gated passage
- Pend - a covered passage through a building
- Royal Mile - the spine that closes and wynds branch from
Sources: Edinburgh Expert: closes, wynds and courts; Edinburgh World Heritage.