Old Town from Waverley Bridge

Category

Library Item

Item no

3028

Title

Old Town from Waverley Bridge

Description

People walk on Waverley Bridge in Edinburgh. The Old Town is in the background where the top of St Giles Cathedral can be seen. The women wear bustle dresses and one carries a parasol. Horse-drawn carts and carriages are also on the road.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1885

Size

20 x 13 cm

Type

Etching

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Item appears to be signed 'R.'

The original Waverley Bridge, a stone arch structure, was replaced during the extensive remodelling of the station in the late 1860's and early 1870's. This second bridge was in turn replaced by the current bridge which was completed in 1896. The vegetable market displaced by the construction of the second bridge was replaced by an indoor site designed by Robert Morham. This was demolished in 1974 and replaced by Waverley shopping centre, later called Princes Mall.

View a map of Waverley Bridge

'Old Town' is the general name given to the original mediaeval centre of Edinburgh. It consists principally of the Royal Mile and the streets and closes leading from it, including those previously part of the separate burgh of Canongate. It also includes the Cowgate and the Grassmarket. The restricted size of the Old Town necessitated the construction of multi-storey 'lands' from the 1500's onwards, many of which still exist today. Eventually chronic overcrowding led to expansion of the city northwards past the Nor' Loch and southwards beyond the Flodden Wall. The Old Town area has now been classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Related subjects

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Edinburgh areas > Princes Street

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Transport > Infrastructure > Road bridges

Transport > Infrastructure > Roads