Old Town from Princes Street Gardens

Category

Library Item

Item no

3056

Title

Old Town from Princes Street Gardens

Description

Buildings, which include the Bank of Scotland building, in part of the Old Town in Edinburgh with the trees of Princes Street Gardens below.

Artist / maker

Clark, William Donaldson

Date

1858

Size

19.6 x 27 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

'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.

The Bank of Scotland headquarters is situated at the top of the Mound in Edinburgh. It was designed by Robert Reid and Richard Crichton and built between 1802 and 1806. It was substantially enlarged in the 1860's.

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Related subjects

Business > Service industry > Banks

Landscape > Landscape architectural facilities > Gardens

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Edinburgh areas > Princes Street

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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