Edinburgh Castle from window in Heriot's School

Category

Library Item

Item no

1966

Title

Edinburgh Castle from window in Heriot's School

Description

Edinburgh Castle sits on the Castle Rock. The half-moon battery can be seen to the right of the fortifications and the barracks to the left. Flatted housing with walkways are in the foreground. The scene is viewed through a window of George Heriot's School.

Artist / maker

Bournonville, N.

Date

1950

Size

22.2 x 18.6 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Edinburgh Castle is perhaps the city's most famous landmark. It stands on top of the remaining core of an extinct volcano. Excavations suggest the site was inhabited by Bronze-Age man as early as 900 BC, and was fortified by Iron-Age man roughly 2000 years ago. The oldest part of the present day castle is St Margaret's Chapel, built in the early 12th Century. The Castle holds the Honours of Scotland and more recently has welcomed back the Stone of Scone otherwise known as the Stone of Destiny.

George Heriot was a famous and wealthy Edinburgh goldsmith and moneylender. When he died in 1624 he left a considerable sum of money to establish a school for the poor and parentless in Edinburgh. Construction of George Heriot's Hospital began in 1628 but was not finished until 1650. It was almost immediately appropriated by Cromwell for use as a military hospital. It resumed its role as a school and home for orphans in 1659. It later came to be known as George Heriot's School, and now operates as an independent mixed school.

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Related subjects

Architecture > Architectural features > Windows

Education > Educational facilities > Schools

Homes > Residential buildings > Castles and palaces

Homes > Residential buildings > Flats

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Edinburgh areas > Tollcross

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh