Flodden Wall

Category

Library Item

Item no

11902

Title

Flodden Wall at Drummond Street during the Edinburgh Festival

Description

In front of the Flodden wall in Edinburgh is a police box covered in posters advertising events at the Fringe Festival. Railings separate the pavement where the police box is located from a grassy area.

Artist / maker

Ansell, Andrew J L

Date

2007

Size

19.7 x 26.4 cm

Type

Digital image

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe has its roots in the attendance of eight uninvited theatre groups at the inaugural Edinburgh International Festival in 1947. This unofficial adjunct to the festival grew in both size and organisation throughout the 1950's with more and more performers coming to take advantage of the audiences drawn to the capital by the official events. By the end of the decade a well organised Festival Fringe Society had been established with a constitution, brochure, and central ticket sales. Today 'The Fringe' hosts several hundred productions each year, and ticket sales have exceeded 1.6 million.

The Flodden Wall was built around Edinburgh following the Battle of Flodden in 1513. Subsequent military incursions into Edinburgh showed the wall offered little practical defence to the city. Substantial sections of the wall are still visible in the Vennel, close to the Grassmarket, and on the Pleasance as it nears the Cowgate.

Exhibitions with this item

Other views of this item

Related images

Related subjects

Business > Advertising > Advertisements

Government > Local > Police boxes

Military > Military facilities > Forts and fortifications

Places > Edinburgh areas > Canongate

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Read how our collections have inspired people taking part in events, visits and community groups. Use the slider or navigation arrows to see more responses.