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East view of St. Cuthberts or West Church of Edinburgh
Skene, James, 1827, Watercolour
East view of St. Cuthberts or West Church of Edinburgh
East view of St. Cuthberts or West Church of Edinburgh
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Item no
1116
Title
East view of St. Cuthberts or West Church (Kirk) of Edinburgh
Artist / maker
Skene, James
Date
1827
Size
13 x 22 cm.
Type
Watercolour
Location
Edinburgh and Scottish Collection
James Skene's eastwards view captures the essentially rural aspect of old St Cuthbert's Church or "West Kirk". The position of the church was so overshadowed by Edinburgh castle that for a time the church was also known as St Cuthbert's Under the Castle.
The original St Cuthbert's, first mentioned in a charter of 1126, was demolished in 1772. Regarded as the "Kirk in the Country", its large parish boundary extended as far as Newhaven and Leith. Owing to its position so close to the castle, the church was frequently caught up in cross fire and fighting. It survived the reformation in the 16th century and civil war during the 17th century, but by the 18th century its structure had become increasingly unsafe. On the 27th September 1772, during the course of a Sunday service "part of a seat in one of the galleries gave way with a crash, on which the entire assembled mass rushed to the doors, and in an instant the church was empty"(1). A seemingly small incident re-enforced existing concerns. Demolition work began shortly afterwards.
Skene's watercolour, which is based on earlier views, represents the old, pre 1772 church, as four low lying buildings, surrounding a square spire, some five storeys in height. Immediately to the west of the church, on slightly higher ground is the Knowe, comprising the oldest part of the burial ground. 18th century gravestones survive to this day and include impressive gravestones of prosperous Portsburgh Baillies. To the immediate east of the church, out of sight beneath the lowering bulk of Edinburgh Castle rock, is the Nor'Loch, later drained to make way for Princes Street Gardens. In 1820, James Skene had overall responsibility for supervising the laying out of the gardens.
In 1775, the rambling old kirk was replaced by a huge new "box" like church. Although the uncompromising appearance of the church was tempered by the addition of a steeple in 1789, the 18th century church was demolished in the early 1890s to make way for a new structure designed by Hippolyte Blanc. The steeple and tower of the original building were retained.
(1) Grant, James, Old and New Edinburgh, Edinburgh, 1882, Vol II, 134
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