Edinburgh Castle from Heriot's School

Category

Library Item

Item no

2012

Title

Edinburgh Castle from Heriot's School

Description

The corner of George Heriot's School creates a frame round Edinburgh Castle in the background. The school has a square tower on the corner with many cupolas on the roof. A stone balustrade runs round the edge of the building leading to steps that direct you to a lawn. A low row of buildings separates the lawn from the castle rising behind it. Part of the Esplanade and the Half Moon Battery can be seen.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1966

Size

15.8 x 21 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

George Heriot was a famous and wealthy Edinburgh goldsmith and moneylender. When he died in 1624 he left a considerable sum of money to establish a school for the poor and parentless in Edinburgh. Construction of George Heriot's Hospital began in 1628 but was not finished until 1650. It was almost immediately appropriated by Cromwell for use as a military hospital. It resumed its role as a school and home for orphans in 1659. It later came to be known as George Heriot's School, and now operates as an independent mixed school.

Edinburgh Castle is perhaps the city's most famous landmark. It stands on top of the remaining core of an extinct volcano. Excavations suggest the site was inhabited by Bronze Age man as early as 900 BC, and was fortified by Iron Age man roughly 2000 years ago. The oldest part of the present day Castle is St Margaret's Chapel, built in the early 12th century. The Castle holds the Honours of Scotland and more recently has welcomed back the Stone of Scone otherwise known as the Stone of Destiny.

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Related subjects

Education > Educational facilities > Schools

Homes > Residential buildings > Castles and palaces

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Edinburgh areas > Tollcross

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh