Item no 10 EDI NBVRG H Report no THE CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCIL Monuments Restoration Programme Culture and Leisure Committee 29 April 2008 1 Purpose of report 1.I To update the Committee on the Monuments Restoration Programme being carried out in partnership with the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust (EWHT). 2 Main report 2.1 The City is responsible for the presentation of approximately 200 statues and monuments. Key monuments in the World Heritage Site were identified as in need of restoration and a three year programme has been developed in partnership with the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust. 2.2 In the first year 2007/2008, the EWHT has invested in the restoration of two monuments which give added value to existing public realm schemes in the city, namely the Melville Monument in St Andrew Square and the Bow Well in the Grassmarket. In addition, restoration of the Black Watch Memorial on the Mound has been carried out. The Black Watch Memorial was rededicated in a ceremony on 30 March 2008 in the presence of the Deputy Lord Provost, who laid a wreath from the city. 2.3 The Black Watch Association has also been heavily involved in fundraising for work on the Black Watch statue. The Black Watch Association secured private sponsorship of more than f5000,and the War Memorials Trust has also grant- aided this restoration. 2.4 Following a recent condition survey, the Duke of Buccleuch’s statue in Parliament Square was added to the scheme and restoration work has commenced with completion due in the near future. 1 2.5 In the second year (2008/2009), the focus will be on three monuments of national importance on Calton Hill: the National Monument, the Burns Monument and the Nelson Monument. Work will be carried out to the walls and roofs. A conservation architect has just been appointed to define the full scope of works. The timing of the works has been designed to ensure that the Burns Monument will be in good condition for the 250thAnniversary of the poet’s birth in 2009. 2.6 In year three (2009/2010), the project will focus on St Bernards Well in Stockbridge, as well as restoration to the George IV Statue, Charles II Statue, David Livingstone Statue, Allan Ramsay Statue and William Pitt statue in the world heritage site. 2.7 The foregoing is an important programme of work which has entailed input from several departments of the Council in partnership with the EWHT. Officers are pleased to be working creatively and positively with one of our key heritage partners. Opportunities to raise third party funding for the project have already been achieved and further sponsorship is being sought, enabling more work to be carried out. All restoration work is being carried out to a high conservation standard, to enhance the cityscape and ensure the preservation of these iconic parts of the streetscape. 3 Financial Implications 3.1 The 3 year monument restoration programme is being funded jointly from the Council’s Property Maintenance Revenue Budget and the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust with support from other private and public organisations. The project has attracted widespread interest from a number of external organisations and members of the public. The Black Watch Association has committed a substantial sum to assist with the restoration of the Black Watch Memorial. 3.2 The planned expenditure profile for the 3 year project is set out in Appendix 2. 3.3 A further report will be made to Committee on future funding arrangements following completion of exploratory work on the next groups of monuments. 4 Recommendations 4.1 The Committee; i) Notes the effective partnership with the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust; ii) Approves the 3 year programme; and iii) Acknowledges the valuable contribution of other sponsors and partners who have been involved, particularly the Black Watch Association, and encourage further sponsors to be sought. 2 Dave Anderson Director of City Development Appendices Appendix 1 : Historical information on the Statues and Monuments Appendix 2 : Planned expenditure profile Contactltel Anne Crawford, Property Manager, Asset Management Tel No 0131 529 5877 or e-mail [email protected] Wards affected City wide Background None Papers 3 Appendix 1 Historical information on the statues and monuments 1. Bow Well In 1674, the city’s first piped water supply was put in place by Lord Provost, Sir Andrew Ramsay. The work involved Sir William Bruce (architect of Holyrood Palace), George Sinclair as surveyor, Peter Brauss, a German engineer who made the lead pipe-work, and Robert Mylne, the King’s Master Mason who built the well- heads. A number of wells were built on the High Street. The Bow Well sits at the bottom of Victoria Street, near the Grassmarket. Previously water was sourced from springs and delivered to houses by water caddies. The ‘gravitational’ water-supply for the wells was piped from Comiston Springs on the south side of the city and flowed to a large cistern at the head of the West Bow, from where it was piped through elm-wood pipes to the well heads down the High Street and presumably the Bow Well. The Bow Well has the inscription “VIRTUTE AQUlSlTUR HONOS” (Honour is acquired by virtue). Above the door is the date “1732” and on the doorplate is inscribed: “THE WEST BOW WELL. ERECTED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL, 1674. REPAIRED AND ALTERED BY RICHARDSON BROTHERS, MERCHANTS, WEST BOW. 1861”. On the South side the Edinburgh’s coat-of-arms and motto is visible: “NISI DOMINUS FRUSTRA” -All is in vain without the Lord. 4 2. Black Watch War Memorial, Bank Street The Black Watch War Memorial was commissioned by the Black Watch, on a site given by the Bank of Scotland in 1906. It was designed and built by sculptor W. Birnie Rhind, R.S.A. and unveiled on 27th June 1910. It commemorates General Wauchope and the men of the Black Watch regiment who fell in the South African War 1899-1902. The monument consists of a polished granite square base, with a bronze statue of a kilted Black Watch soldier standing on top looking toward the Castle. The Black Watch crest "Am Freiceadan Dubh" is visible on top of the base, below a frieze of fighting soldiers. Inscriptions on square base plinth: West: "To the memory of Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men of the Black Watch who fell in the South African War. 1899-1902. North: - List of men who died from disease. South: - List of men who died in action or from wounds. 5 3. Melville Monument The Melville Monument consists of a fluted column with an internal staircase and is surmounted by a statue. The ornate base has an acanthus leaf decoration with eagles at each corner. The architect, William Burn, used Trajans Column in Rome as a model. He was assisted by Robert Stevenson, the builder of the Bell Rock Lighthouse, in the preparation of the foundation. The 4.2m statue stands at the top of the 26m column. The statue was not part of the original design. It was modelled by Francis Chantrey and carved by Robert Forrest. Forrest had a sculptors yard on Calton Hill and also executed the statue of John Knox in Glasgow's Necropolis. The stone used was the yellowish grey sandstone from the Cullalo quarries at the Grange and Newbigging. The statue is of Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville (1742 - 1811) who was a dominant force in British politics for over four decades. He held office as Treasurer for the Navy (under Pitt), Home Secretary, Secretary for War, and Lord Advocate. The movement to erect a monument originated with a group of Naval officers who admired his work at the Admirality. A committee was formed in181 7 and almost f3500 was raised. 6 4. National Monument The idea for a National Monument was first aired at a meeting of the Highland Society in 181 6. Charles Robert Cockerell was appointed architect for the monument, and William Henry Playfair was taken on as his assistant. The Duke of Hamilton laid the foundation stone in August 1822. It was decided the monument would take the form of a National Memorial Church, to commemorate Scottish servicemen who died in the Napoleonic wars. It would also serve as a National Mausoleum where illustrious Scotsmen would be laid to rest in the catacombs. It was estimated that f42,000was required. The subscription received the support of many eminent people including George IV, the Duke of Atholl and Sir Walter Scott, but after 16 months only f16,000 had been raised. During the first phase 1826-29,the twelve pillars cost f13,500, and due to the lack of further funds the impetus was lost. As it stands today, the National Monument on Calton Hill is clearly an imposing structure and is made of twelve massive columns with a substructure containing catacombs. The design is based on the Parthenon at Athens. Some of the largest pieces of stone ever taken from the Craigleith Quarry in Blackhall were incorporated. Since 1829 numerous proposals of varying credibility have been proposed for the National Monument’s ‘completion’ and use. 7 5. Burns Monument Originally the Burns Monument contained a white marble statue of Robert Burns (1759 to 1796) which is now located in the National Portrait Gallery on Queen Street. The idea to erect a monument to Burns was first proposed by Mr. John Forbes Mitchell in Bombay in 1812 and expatriates raised a subscription. However the idea was not taken up at home until 1819, when a meeting at the Free Mason's Tavern in London, noblemen and gentlemen - admirers of the Bard - formed a committee under the chairmanship of the Duke of Atholl.