The route Building Stones of Edinburgh’s South Side This tour takes the form of a circular walk from George Square northwards along George IV Bridge to the High Street of the Old Town, returning by South Bridge and Building Stones Chambers Street and Nicolson Street. Most of the itinerary High Court 32 lies within the Edinburgh World Heritage Site. 25 33 26 31 of Edinburgh’s 27 28 The recommended route along pavements is shown in red 29 24 30 34 on the diagram overleaf. Edinburgh traffic can be very busy, 21 so TAKE CARE; cross where possible at traffic light controlled 22 South Side 23 crossings. Public toilets are located in Nicolson Square 20 19 near start and end of walk. The walk begins at NE corner of Crown Office George Square (Route Map locality 1). 18 17 16 35 14 36 Further Reading 13 15 McMillan, A A, Gillanders, R J and Fairhurst, J A. 1999 National Museum of Scotland Building Stones of Edinburgh. 2nd Edition. Edinburgh Geological Society. 12 11 Lothian & Borders GeoConservation leaflets including Telfer Wall Calton Hill, and Craigleith Quarry (http://www. 9 8 Central 7 Finish Mosque edinburghgeolsoc.org/r_download.html) 10 38 37 Quartermile, formerly 6 CHAP the Royal Infirmary of Acknowledgements. 1 EL Edinburgh S T Text: Andrew McMillan and Richard Gillanders with Start . 5 contributions from David McAdam and Alex Stark. 4 2 3 LACE CLEUCH P Map adapted with permission from The Buildings of BUC Scotland: Edinburgh (Pevsner Architectural Guides, Yale University Press), by J. Gifford, C. McWilliam and D. Walker) Front photograph of George Square in the 1950s courtesy of Agnes Barr. Other photographs © Andrew A McMillan. Designed by Derek Munn A walking tour Printed by Winter and Simpson, Dundee © Lothian & Borders GeoConservation 2012 Lothian and Borders GeoConservation Introduction The walking tour Local sources of Carboniferous (359-299 million years 1 No. 60 George Square 5 Nos. 22-16 (1767-74), the old) sandstone, for example from Craigmillar, Craigleith, (1774-79) local dolerite (black earliest surviving houses Ravelston and Hailes quarries, provided builders, masons igneous rock) and pink also with cherrycock and architects with the excellent raw material that was sandstone from Craigmillar. pointing, have been used over several centuries. During the latter part of the Columns of portico are of grey restored to show probable 19th century, as local supplies dwindled and transport micaceous sandstone. original appearance. systems developed, sandstone was brought from quarries No. 60 George Square Pavements on north and further afield, including West Lothian (Binny, Hermand, 2 University George Square west sides of the Square Humbie), Fife (Cullalo, Grange, Longannet), Stirlingshire Lecture Theatre (1967, Robert Matthew, Johnson- are made of sharp flakes of (Polmaise), Dumfriesshire (Corsehill) and northern Marshall & Partners) clad in Carboniferous sandstone dolerite placed vertically England (Blaxter, Darney, Doddington, Prudham). Many from Wellfield quarries (Huddersfield). into ground, known as No. 20 George Square (detail) 20th C. buildings in Edinburgh used a variety of rock horonising. Road setts types as stone cladding (thin panels) to concrete and 3 University Library (1967, Basil Spence, Glover & mainly dolerite. steel structures. Today, stone is used for conservation and Ferguson) cladding round base of Larvikite, a black repair as seen in the indents (replacement blocks) found Scandinavian granite; ramp parapet to west is clad in 6 Former George Watson’s Ladies College, No7 in many buildings. pale yellow-grey Portland Roach stone with Jurassic (1876, MacGibbon & Ross), elaborate carvings, fossil bivalves and gastropods. including name, in sandstone. Good example of This leaflet describes a selection of buildings on a circular modern stone replacement. walk starting and finishing at George Square. Dates in brackets refer to the date of construction or other 7 Edinburgh University Union (1887, Sydney Mitchell developments of the buildings, noting the principal 1887) Hailes Sandstone, laminated. architects and builders. 8 McEwan Hall Two new bridges were crucial to development south of (1888-97, Sir R. the Grassmarket/Cowgate hollow. Access from the old Rowand Anderson) town was not easy until the building of South Bridge Carboniferous (1785-88) and George IV Bridge (1829-34). George Square, sandstones laid out by James Brown, (1766 –1785) was the first Polmaise development beyond the Old Town. Originally some 60 (Stirlingshire) houses, Nos. 28-59 were built of Craigleith Sandstone, a and Prudham source of fine stone for ashlar work from the west side of (Hexham, the city. Redevelopment in the 1960s for buildings of the Fossils in Roach stone Northumberland). University of Edinburgh involved demolition of Nos. 30- Small red 54, including. No. 33 which was the Scottish office of the 4 West side Nos. 29-28 Craigleith Sandstone, droved sandstone Geological Survey of Great Britain, 1906 to 1928. ashlar. Nos. 27-23 (1770-75) Roman Doric and Ionic columns are of columned doorpieces and cherrycock pointed pink Triassic St Bees Craigmillar sandstone and dolerite rubble with dolerite Sandstone from snecks. Corsehill (Annan). McEwan Hall 9 Adjacent Medical School (1886, Sir R. Rowand 14 The bronze sculpture of Greyfriars Bobby (William 16 National Museum of Scotland West Wing Anderson) also Polmaise stone. Brodie, 1872), at the head of Candlemaker Row, sits on (1885-89), Chambers Street, Hermand sandstone a plinth of polished Cumbrian Shap Granite, with (West Calder), sculptured figures (1861) Doddington 10 Former Royal Infirmary undergoing a major prominent pink feldspar crystals. sandstone (Northumberland). renovation. Scots baronial style by David Bryce begun 1872 and finished by his nephew John (1879). Greyfriars Bobby with 17 Crown Office, (1886-88) , formerly Heriot-Watt plinth of Shap Granite, Succeeded William Adam’s George Watson’s Hospital Cumbria University, Prudham sandstone (Northumberland). (1738). Stone used from Hailes and Cullalo (Fife). Buildings laid out in a pavilion system, isolation of 18 Sheriff Court extension (1997) Catcastle blocks allowing air to circulate. Sandstone (Barnard Castle, County Durham). George IV Bridge (1829-34) is an elevated street 11 Telfer Wall, (1628-36) Lauriston Place. above the Cowgate with houses built up on both An extension of Flodden Wall to incorporate George sides; two open spans. Buildings include: 19-21: Heriot’s Hospital. Rubble construction mainly of local sandstones. 19 The Augustine United Church completed 1861, tower recently restored with Blaxter sandstone, (Otterburn, Nothumberland). 20 Central Library (1887-90, George Washington Browne) elaborately carved Polmaise sandstone (Stirlingshire). Central Library, George IV Bridge Telfer Wall 15 National Museum of Scotland extension 12 Former Charity Workhouse, (1739-43) harled (completed in 1998 to International competition - tenements in Forest Hill off Forest Road. Sandstone winning design of Benson & Forsyth, 1991). Cladding from City Quarry (Burgh Muir). Remnants were of mottled yellow and orange Permian sandstone remodelled as dwelling houses down Candlemaker from Clashach Quarry (Hopeman, Moray). Pavements Row. on both sides of street grey Devonian Caithness Flagstone, durable fine laminated sandstone. Near the 13 Greyfriars Kirk (1602-20). Uses second-hand stone museum is Bristo National Museum of Scotland from Convent of Sciennes. Munitions magazine in Port, the site of the west tower exploded 1718. New church built (1722) Society of Brewers to the west, with a wall dividing New Greyfriars from (or Greyfriars) Old Greyfriars. Fire destroyed most of Old Greyfriars Quarry which (1845), then rebuilt. Building restored recently with supplied rubble coloured lime harl. Graveyard contains the best stone for Parliament collection of 17th C. monuments in Scotland. Notable House (locality 29) figures buried here include James Hutton, Founder of modern geology and William Adam, architect. 21 National Library of Scotland, (started in 1938 & kirk to E, W & S. Dutch completed 1955, Reginald Fairlie), Blaxter sandstone steeple with covering of (Northumberland) on grey granite. copper destroyed in the Great Fire of 16th Nov 1824. 22 Victoria Street (1867-8), Scots Baronial style India Steeple rebuilt in Humbie Buildings display fine vermiculated work. No. 1 occupied sandstone (Winchburgh) and by the Geological Survey (1869-1879). largely refaced with Darney sandstone (1974-76). 23 Victoria Terrace is raised above street. From far end are fine views in foreground of crow-stepped gables and 34 South Bridge (1775-88, irregular slated roofs, in the middle distance old buildings Royal Mile at foot of Lawnmarket with Bank of Scotland in Alexander Laing), 19-arch of Grassmarket, and beyond in the far distance George Mound Place and part of High Court of Justiciary, right viaduct. Prepared the way for Heriot’s Hospital (School) (1628-1660, William Wallace, 27 David Hume Statue (1997 Alexander Stoddart) sits on building of University and King’s Master Mason from 1617), Ravelston, Craigmillar plinth of yellow Clashach sandstone. provided access from old town University of Edinburgh Old and Craigleith stone, the last used for refacing (1833). to Nicolson Street and George College Dome 28 St Giles Cathedral with its late 15C. Spire faced with Square. George Heriot’s School from Cullalo stone (1829-33, William Burn). Cullalo recently used Victoria Terrace for repairs on S. side. 35 Old College (1789-1827, Robert Adam,