Skip to content
Home
Favourites
0
Advanced search
Shopping cart
0
Register
Log in
Images of Edinburgh
Browse map
Area A - Z
Browse by date
Exhibitions
Current exhibition
All exhibitions
Collections
About the collections
Browse by theme
Subject A - Z
The image library for the collections of Edinburgh Libraries and Museums and Galleries
Images of Edinburgh
Browse map
Area A - Z
Browse by date
Exhibitions
Current exhibition
All exhibitions
Collections
About the collections
Browse by theme
Subject A - Z
Craigmillar Castle 'restored', west view
Grant, James, 1848,
Craigmillar Castle 'restored', west view
Craigmillar Castle 'restored', west view
Add to favourites
Share
Item record
About this image
Related
Location
Category
Library Item
Item no
43423
Title
Craigmillar Castle 'restored', west view
Description
Image from James Grant's sketchbook numbered print 101.
Artist / maker
Grant, James
Date
1848
Location
Edinburgh and Scottish Collection
James Grant's designs for the restoration of Craigmillar Castle, while unused, give us a clear insight into the mind of an educated Victorian man hoping to preserve Scotland's historic past. In 1660 Craigmillar Castle was bought from the Preston family by Sir John Gilmour, a wealthy and influential man. He rebuilt the west range of the castle, which you can see in detail in this image. The curtain wall on this side was taken down and the new wing built in its place, rather than being constructed behind the wall as the east range had been. With England and Scotland united there was less need for Craigmillar to be defensive, so Gilmour could have a number of large windows to let more light into the family apartments behind. The outlines of the dormer windows along the roofline can still be seen in the ruins today, but the lower windows have been filled in.
In the early 18th century the Gilmours decided to live elsewhere, and the castle began to fall into ruin. In 1884 the Edinburgh Architectural Association visited the castle and reported on its rapid decay to the owner, Walter James Little Gilmour, who, 'with great public spirit', began to spend a lot of money to preserve the ruins of the castle. Snow and rain had been getting into the keep roof, damaging the stonework, so it was made watertight with cement. Before this a large mass of earth had been kept on the roof of the keep, probably to minimise the impact of any stones thrown from catapults. Unfortunately the east and west ranges were not reroofed as Grant drew them, but in 1946 Craigmillar Castle came into the care of the state and is now being preserved as a picturesque ruin, which certainly would have pleased Grant.
Exhibitions with this item
James Grant: the artist's imagination
Other views of this item
Related images
Related subjects
Architecture
>
Architectural features
>
Towers
Architecture
>
Architectural features
>
Turrets
Architecture
>
Architectural features
>
Walls
Homes
>
Residential buildings
>
Castles and palaces
Places
>
Edinburgh areas
>
Craigmillar
Places
>
Scotland
>
Edinburgh
Rights and purchasing
Option
Price
Digital File
Electronic file 72 dpi JPEG
£7.32
(inc. VAT 20%)
Add
Digital File
Electronic File 300 dpi TIFF
£37.20
(inc. VAT 20%)
Add
You can view and use digital images for personal and educational use. For more information, read our
policy on image use
.
If you wish to use our images for commercial use, please
contact us
.
The image library for the collections of Edinburgh Libraries and Museums and Galleries The image library for the collections of Edinburgh Libraries and Museums and Galleries