Edinburgh Castle and the Ross Fountain

Category

Library Item

Item no

1870

Title

Edinburgh Castle and the Ross Fountain

Description

Edinburgh Castle sits on a rocky outcrop. Walls, some crenellated, with watchtowers surround the castle. Below the Castle is Princes Street Gardens. There are many trees, bushes and shrubs. People walk along pathways with low level fencing that cut through the lawns of the Garden. A large decorative fountain dominates the foreground of the scene. At the top of the fountain a sculpted figure holds aloft an object, below are four seated figures. Men and women are sitting and lying on the grass, one woman is beside a pram.

Artist / maker

Wyllie, H. D.

Date

1945

Size

16.5 x 10.6 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.

Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens were established on the site of the Nor'Loch which was drained during the 18th century. The park was originally for the exclusive use of the residents of Princes Street, but was opened to the public in 1876. The gardens contain various statues of notable figures, as well as the Ross Fountain and Bandstand and the famous Floral Clock.

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