The Stone Quarries, Craigleith, near Edinburgh

Category

Library Item

Item no

18651

Title

The Stone Quarries, Craigleith, near Edinburgh

Description

Paths have been cut into the sandstone of Craigleith Quarry along which workers hack at the stone and load it into horse drawn carts which transport it out. A rocky hill looks over the quarry. A couple of youngsters sit on a ledge flying a kite and looking over the activity of the quarry. The town of Edinburgh with Castle Rock and Arthur's seat are depicted in the distance, between which is farmland and trees.

Artist / maker

Shepherd, Thomas Hosmer

Engraver

Wallis, W

Date

1829

Size

9.9 x 16.3 cm

Type

Engraving

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

This image comes from 'Modern Athens', a book of engravings based on drawings by Thomas Shepherd published in 1829. In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries Edinburgh was growing rapidly. The popular neoclassical architectural style of the time was inspired by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and Edinburgh was nicknamed 'Athens of the North'. Shepherd's engravings celebrate the beauty of Edinburgh and show many notable buildings and streets both within the city, and further afield.

The site of Craigleith Quarry is situated about 2 miles north-west of the centre of Edinburgh. The Quarry operated from the 17th century and provided much of the sandstone for the construction of New Town. It was filled in the 1930's and is now the site of Craigleith Retail Park.

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Related subjects

Landscape > Land > Hills

Manufacturing Industry > Manufacturing facilities > Quarries

People > Adults > Men

People > Industry > Miners

Places > Edinburgh areas > Blackhall

Places > Edinburgh areas > Craigleith

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Plants > Trees > Trees

Transport > Land > Horse and carts

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