Cardinal Beaton's House, Cowgate

Category

Museums & Galleries Item

Item no

11642

Title

Cardinal Beaton's House, Cowgate

Description

A double image of Cardinal Beaton's House on the Cowgate, Edinburgh. The house has a hexagonal tower on the side and is joined on to a building with many Georgian paned sash and case windows. The alley from which the image is taken contains a spirit dealer and large barrels can be seen in front of the shop. A gas street light is in the foreground. The tall tenements of the Cowgate can be seen behind Cardinal Beaton's House.

Artist / maker

Begbie, Thomas

Date

1858

Size

8.3 x 17.1 cm

Type

Glass negative

Location

City Art Centre

Copyright

The Cavaye Collection of Thomas Begbie Prints ; The City of Edinburgh Council Museums & Galleries

Despite living in the New Town, Stevenson was well acquainted with the shabby charm of Edinburgh's Old Town. The author was known to frequent some of the less respectable establishments in this area, especially during his bohemian university days. This image reflects the tenements, dark closes and narrow wynds characteristic of the Old Town at this time.

This is a glass negative from the Thomas Begbie Cavaye Collection which is held by City of Edinburgh Museums and Galleries.

Cardinal Beaton's House was situated at the corner of the Cowgate and Blackfriars Wynd, now Blackfriars Street. It was built around the start of the 16th century. By the 19th century the once grand house had become a dilapidated, overcrowded rented dwelling, reflecting a general change in the Cowgate's character. The building was taken down in 1874, along with many other buildings in the area, under the 1867 Improvement Act.

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Related subjects

Homes > Residential buildings > Houses

Homes > Residential buildings > Tenements

People > Religion > Clergy

Places > Edinburgh areas > Old Town

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Transport > Infrastructure > Street lights

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