Maiden Town
Preserved but no longer current.
A town never taken by the enemy (cp. MAIDEN ASSIZE above). Also, specifically, Edinburgh, from tradition that the maiden daughters of a Pictish king were sent there for protection during an intestine war.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Maiden Town” mean?
A town never taken by the enemy (cp. MAIDEN ASSIZE above). Also, specifically, Edinburgh, from tradition that the maiden daughters of a Pictish king were sent there for protection during an intestine war.
Is “Maiden Town” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.