FIELD OF DREAMS: THE BüILDNG OF THE EDINBURGH NEW TOWN 1750 - 1830 SUSAN ELMETHFRY A thesis submitted to the Deparment of Art History in confomity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Queen's University Kingston, Ontario, Canada September, ZOO0 copyright O Susan Elizabeth Fry, 2000 National Library Bibliothèque nationale ($1 of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington OttawaON K1AON4 OttawaON KIAON4 Canada Canada Your fi& votre teference Our file Notre referma The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sel1 reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of ths thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownershp of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts from it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or othewise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT This thesis will discuss the building of the Edinburgh New Town, c. 1750-1830. An undertaking engineered by the city's ruling classes, the development of the New Town had econornic, political and psychological consequences on the physical and social structure of the Sconish capital. The building of the New Town will be addressed primarily through theories of improvement prevaient in the mid-to-Iate eighteenth-century and early nineteenth- century. The interpretation of topographical landscapes, particdarly hvo landscapes done by the Scomsh painter, Alexander Nasmyth ( 1758- 1840), Princes metwith the Building of the Royui Institution and Eclinburgh fiom the Cdton Hill, will provide a means for interpreting improvement ideology and its co~ectionto the Sconish Enlightenrnent. The topic will be approached from a socio-histoncal perspective, specifically through methodologies used by Andrew Hemingway in the 1992 work, Lr»Jscupe Imogery and Urban C'uifutern Ear(v Nineteenth-C'entq Brituin. Theones of Scottish nationalism and heritage will also be discwed in relation to the building of the Edinburgh New Town. in light of recent political events in Scotland and the country's new found devolutionist status, a discussion of the permanency of improvement, independence and identity is particularly interesting. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I dedicate my thesis to my Aunt Came, to whom 1 always promised rny first publication Fint of ail, I must mention that, at the very last minute, J.C.B. Cooksey's book on Alexander Nasmyth was brought to my attention and 1 regret that I was not able to use it in my thesis. I have included it in my bibliography for any interested readers and it will, undoubtedly ,prove fundamental to my subsequent work on thjs subject. For their part in my cornpletion of this thesis, I would like to thank my fhends and farnily in St. John's, who widerstood that following rny dreams meant leaving home, but, nevertheless, supported me in my endeavoun, parhcularly my mother, whose unwavering support showed me that the most heartfelt words of encouragement need not be delivered in person. To rny brother, David, and sister-in-law, Karen, rny own piece of 'The Rock' in Kingston, whose presence consistently reitentes the importance of farnily. To my new-found hends in Kingston and everyone in the Queen's Art History deparûnent: to Nina, Roseanne and Mary in the Art Library, to an amazing faculty whom I have had the pleasure to study under and especially to my fel low graduate students. 1 have never experienced such a feeling of camaraderie and 1 am privileged to be a rnember of such a special group. f especially thank Ken and Scott Cronin, without whose friendship I would have never made it through this Surnrner. 1 would like to thank rny Thesis Exarnining Cornmittee - R.D.Griffi th (Classics), Bnan Osborne (Geography ), Pierre du Prey, Cathleeen Hoeniger and Janice Helland. Professor du Prey has enlivened the love of architecture that first brought me to Queen's and Professon Hoeniger and Helland have helped me realize the importance of expressing feminine strength. Finally, 1 would like to thank Professor Janice Helland, whose kindness, intelligence and integity inspires me to be a better person. I am eternally gratefûl for her constant @dance and support. Her knowledge, opemess and rnodesty has enriched the lives of al1 her students and 1 am honoured to count myself among them. She has taught me that visions cm only become reality when, like the Sconish themselves, we assert our independence and begin listening to our own voice. Scots, Whu Hue' TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract 1 .- ... Acknowledgements 11-111 List of figures v-vi ii Introduction 1- 14 Chapter 1 15-33 Chapter 2 34-76 Chapter 3 77-1 10 Chapter 4 11 1-135 Condusion 136-138 Bibliography 139-144 Figures 145-173 Vita 174 LIST OF FIGURES 1. James Craig's 'Plan for the New Town of Edinburgh', 1767. In Edinburgh New Town Bicentenary Celebrut ion 1 767-1967. (Edinburgh: The City and Royal Burgh of Edinburgh, 1967). 2. David Alla. Junzes Cruig. A portrait in the National Portrait Gallery, Scotland. In A. J. Youngson, The Muking of Claîsicd Edinbwgh (Edinburgh : Edinburgh LJP, 1966), frontispiece. 3. Al exander Nasmyth. Princes Street w ith the Royd imtitzition Building uncier C.'on,~trwction,1825. In Duncan MacMillan, Painting in Scotkud: The Golden Age (Oxford: Phaidon, l986), pl. 34. 4. Alexander Nasmyth. Edin3urghfiom lhe Culton Hill, 1 825. In MacMillan, pl. 35. 5. George Dnmtmond. A p&t. in Ian Nimmo, The Edinburgh New Town (Edinburgh: John Donald, 199 1 ), p. 33. 6. Patrick Nasmyth. Edinburghfrom the North West, 18 19. S & D. National Gallery of Scotland. 7. John Knox. A View ofEdinbwghfrom Cononmills, c. 1825. National Gallery of Scotiand. 8. James Dnimmond The Porteou Mob, 1855. National Gallery of Scotland. 9. The Canongute. Edinburgh, hoking West. hwnby Thomas H. Shepherd. Engraved by W. Tombleson. In Thomas H. Shepherd and John Brinon, MohAthens Displayed in o Series of Vious; or Edinbiagh in the Nineteenrh Cew(New York and London: Benjamin Blom, 1969), facing p. 3 1. 10. James Dmmond Ridd'e 's Chse, Lmvnmarket, 1854. Ln E. F. Catfurd, Edinburgh: neS~ury of a Crty (London: Hutchinson, 1975), facing p. 56. 1 1. Waterwlow of Edinburgh looking northeast fiom Castlehill, across the Nor' Loch to Bearford's Parks, site of the New Town, c. 1750. Symboloe Sco~~coe,Edinburgh University Library. In Youngson, pp. 18-19. 17. Alexander Nasmyth. Neil, 3" Earl ofRosebcry with Family, c.1780s. National Gallenes of Scotland, In Peter Johnson and Ede Money, The NmnmvthFumjlv 01' Parnters (Leigh on Sea, England: F. Lewis, 1977), pl. 2. 13. Alexander Nasmyth hveratayfrum the Seo, c. 180 1. Private Collection. In MacMillan, pl. 3 1. 14. Alexander Nasmyth. Vicw ofEdinburghfiom ~heEUSI, 1 789. S& D. ln JO hnson and Money, pl. 23 15. Alexander Nasmyth. Ed;rzburghfiorn the Wesr, 1821. S & D.Oscar & Peter Johnson Ltd. In Johnson and Money, pl. 10. 16. Thistle Court, reputediy the first house built in the New Town. Photographed by Edwin Smith. In Youngson,facing p. 80. 17. Hugh William Williams. Myhlogical Ehburghfiom Arthur S SM Edinburgh City Art Centre. In Charles McKean, Edznburgh: An lhstrated ArchitectwaI Guide. (Edinburgh: Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, 1992), p. 13 18. J. Dick Peddie. The Athens of the North RIAS Collection. In McKean, p. 125. 19. William Pldazr. A drawing in the National Gallery of Scotland In Youngson, facing p. 196. 20. Royal htztution or Schoolof Arts. Drawn by Thomas H. Shepherd. Engraved by A. Cme. In Shepherd and Britton, facing p. 72. 2 1. William Playfair. Rear facade, The Royal Scottish Academy. Photographed by Edwin Smith. In Youngson, between pp. 16849. 22. William Playfair. Side elevation, Royal Scotîish Academy. Photographed by Edwin Smith. In Youngson, facing, p. 168. 23.- Alexander Nasmyth. Edinburgh Chtie andthe Nor'hch, c. 1820s. National Gallery of Scotland. 24. David Kay. Early Nineteemh-Cénfwy View of the Mod In Youngson, p. 123. 2 5. Vegerubk und Fish Marker fiom the Ruinbow Gufiery. Drawn by Thomas H. Shepherd. Engraved by E. Stal ker. In Shepherd and Britton, p. 73. 26. Calton Hill in use as a public walk, mid-nineteenth-cenhiry. S'olae Scoticue, Edinburgh University Library . In Youngson, p. 153. 27. 5. Clark. The New Town and the city fiom the northwest drawn 'on the spot', 1824. In Edinbwgh Nov Town Bicentemry Ceiebration 1767- 196 7. 28. D.O. Hill. Edinburgh Old and New, c. 1830. National Gallery of Scotland. 29. William Playfair. Design for a New Town between Edinburgh and Leith, 1 8 19. In Peter Reed, 'Fom and Context: A Study of Georgian Edinburgh', in Thomas A. Markus, ed. Order in S'ce unci Society Architectural Fonn and ifsC'onfext in the Scottish Enlzghtenmenf. (Edinburgh: Mainstream, 1 982), p. 14 1. 30. Waterloo Place cutting thtough Caiton burial ground Photographed by Edwin Smith. in Youngson, facing p. 144. vii 3 1. Regent Tenace on the side of Calton Hill. In Nimmo, facing, p. 63. 32. EUHEnd ofthe Brzdewell. umihil Govemor S Home. Drawn by Thomas H. Shepherd. Engraved by W. Tombleson. ln Shepherd and Britton, facing p. 57. 33. The Néw Joilfiorn C.'uftonHill. Drawn by Thomas H. Shepherd. Engraved by W. Tombleson. In Shepherd and Britton, facing p. 44.