Part of the Old Town, from Princes Street, Edinburgh

Category

Library Item

Item no

3058

Title

Part of the Old Town, from Princes Street, Edinburgh

Description

A view of Edinburgh which shows Princes Street, North Bridge, Salisbury Crags, Arthur's Seat and the Old Town with the spire of the Tron Kirk visible above the other buildings. People and horse-drawn carts and carriages are on the streets and roads.

Artist / maker

Shepherd, Thomas Hosmer

Engraver

Lacey, S.

Date

1829

Size

11.5 x 17.5 cm

Type

Engraving

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.

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Related images

Related subjects

Homes > Residential buildings > Tenements

Landscape > Land > Hills

Places > Edinburgh areas > Princes Street

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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