The Citadel Archway

Category

Library Item

Item no

30734

Title

The Citadel Archway

Artist / maker

MacLean, Kevin

Date

2013

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

In the 1650s Scotland was ruled by Oliver Cromwell's London-based government. Leith was occupied by a Cromwellian army commanded by General Monck, following a heavy defeat at Dunbar. He decided to strengthen the defences of Leith and at one stage proposed to surround the entire town with fortications. This alarmed the Town Council of Edinburgh who offered £5,000 towards the cost of building a Citadel instead.
The Citadel built in North Leith by Monck was a large pentagonal construction with walls faced with hewn stone. It had five bastions, with barracks and stone building for magazines and stores and also houses for the governor and officers. It is hard for us today to realise the size as only one gate, or port, remains on the west side of Dock Street, but the area covered was Dock Street, Coburg Street, Couper Street, then following the line of the old 1560 fortifications to what is now Commercial Street.

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