George Heriots Hospital &c from the Castle Hill

Category

Library Item

Item no

6661

Title

George Heriots Hospital &c from the Castle Hill

Description

The people and rundown houses of Castlehill fill the foreground of this engraving and frame the view of George Heriot's Hospital. Someone is shaking cloth out of an upper window. The school is surrounded by open land, with a wall at each side. It has a central square tower with a large dome and weather vane on top. Wings on each side end in a square tower decorated with smaller cupola. Lots of small figures can be seen in the grounds of the school.

Artist / maker

Ewbank, John Wilson

Engraver

Lizars, W. H.

Date

1825

Size

20.4 x 26.9 cm

Type

Engraving

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

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 > Cupolas

Education > Educational facilities > Schools

Homes > Residential buildings > Houses

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Edinburgh areas > Tollcross

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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