Design for a Chapel for Newington/ Echobank Cemetery

Category

Library Item

Item no

43422

Title

Design for a chapel for Newington/ Echobank Cemetery

Description

Image from James Grant's sketchbook, print numbered 205.

Artist / maker

Grant, James

Date

1847

Type

Pen work

This image shows a design by James Grant for a chapel in Edinburgh's Newington Cemetery (also called Echobank Cemetery), dated 1846-7. The design of the chapel was open to public entries and Grant won the first prize of 20 guineas. The cemetery had been designed by David Cousin, the Edinburgh City Superintendent of Works, who was responsible for a number of Edinburgh's cemeteries which were intended to provide green spaces amid urban areas. Unfortunately Grant's design was not actually constructed.

This is a common format for 19th century Scottish churches, especially those which were designed to be part of a street front with limited space. The Reformation had emphasised the importance of hearing the Word being spoken during preaching, which resulted in churches being built or adapted so that the congregation were all close enough to hear. However, this design follows a 19th century trend which favoured larger and more elaborate churches - Grant's addition of aisles to the main body of his church design is part of this trend, though the aisles rarely served any purpose other than as passageways.

Grant's design is similar to the main front of St Andrew's Cathedral, Aberdeen, which also has the central body of the church flanked by towers culminating in pinnacles, then aisles on either side flanked by smaller pinnacled towers. It was designed by Archibald Simpson and completed in 1817. Another Scottish example is Nicolson Street Church in Edinburgh, designed by the architect James Gillespie Graham and built in 1819-20, which is wider and surmounted by a greater number of pinnacles. Grant said it had 'a handsome Gothic front' and was 'among the first efforts at an improved style of church architecture in Edinburgh' since the Reformation had left a taste for simplicity and functionality, with limited new church building. Grant not only wanted to celebrate Scotland's architectural achievements of the past, but he also wanted to drive his homeland forward to a progressive and exciting future.

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Related subjects

Architecture > Architectural features > Doors and doorways

Architecture > Architectural features > Pinnacles

Architecture > Architectural features > Windows

Places > Edinburgh areas > Newington

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Religion > Religious facilities > Churches