On a day punctuated with torrential showers of rain we visited the church which stands at the West end of Princes Street. By good fortune the rain stayed away during our visit.
St John’s was built between 1816 and 1818 to accommodate a growing congregation led by the Bishop of Edinburgh, an Englishman, the Rev Daniel Sandford (1766-1830). The architect was William Burn (1789-1870) of Edinburgh who designed among other buildings, Edinburgh Academy and controversially, the exterior of St Giles. St John’s architectural style is described as Neo-Gothic Perpendicular and it has a striking ceiling of pendant fans (as in Westminster Abbey). It’s many, varied stained-glass windows were added over time and most are by the Ballantine family business of Edinburgh.
Peddie & Kinnear, architects were employed to extend the church with a Chancel on the west end which was finished in 1884. The adjacent Morning Chapel designed by W.J. Walker Todd was built in 1935.
We were conducted round the graveyard and the resting-places of some of its well known occupants were pointed-out, e.g.; James Donaldson of Broughton-Hill who founded Donaldson’s Hospital, George Young Esq. a leading Advocate (in the Madeleine Smith murder case), Prof. James Syme (1799-1870) surgeon, Rev Edward B. Ramsay (1793-1872) incumbent of St John’s and even a slave girl called Wells.
A portion of the graveyard is secured behind normally-locked gates (the Dormitory) and contains the grave of portrait painter Sir Henry Raeburn (1756-1823), Anne Rutherford who was Sir Walter Scott’s mother and Anne Raffles the sister of Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles who founded of the city of Singapore
The Old Edinburgh Club would like to thank our guides Angus Mitchell, Isobel Watson and Robert Philp for an enjoyable and interesting afternoon.
Amid a plethora of conferences, seminars, special lectures, and exhibitions, all marking the tercentenary of the birth of David Hume, the OEC arranged a Hume Walk as part of its summer programme. It was led by Dr Iain Gordon Brown, the Club’s immediate past-President, and his stentorian tones were needed on an evening when mercifully the rain stayed away but the wind blew at near-tempest force. It was something of a battle at times, but he proved equal to the task.
David Hume, a native of Edinburgh, spent a substantial proportion of his life in the city. Sufficient still remains today in various forms to provide at least a flavour of Hume’s life, though on this occasion tracing his progress was actually done by reversing chronology and beginning at his grave-side (the reason for which was to become clear at the end). Meeting at his handsome Adam-designed tomb of 1777 in Old Calton Burying Ground got us off to a strong start, as our guide had published a detailed article about this building in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in 1991, describing it as “a fitting tribute by Scotland’s greatest architect to Scotland’s greatest philosopher”. Offprints were passed around.
Wending our way through Hume’s life backwards, our first port of call was at the site of his last residence (1776-71) at the corner of St Andrew Square and South St David Street (a location which he regarded as “out of town”, meaning the Old Town, the New Town being as yet in its infancy). Here, only an inscribed stone gives notice of the fact, amid some quite horrid modern architecture, which was roundly and justly condemned by our guide.
While crossing the valley once occupied by the erstwhile Nor’ Loch, we were regaled with the humorous anecdote about David Hume, trapped in the glaur of what was yet only Geordie Boyd’s mud brig (later to become the great Earthen Mound), being bested by three canny Newhaven fisherwives. It was then a clamber up to the Lawnmarket to visit the sites of other former abodes - James’ Court (1771-69, and previously, 1763-62) and Riddle’s Court (1752-51).
With a nod to the 1997 statue of David Hume at the foot of his native Lawnmarket, we then repaired to the National Library of Scotland, where Dr Brown was on home territory, as indeed was the shade of Hume himself, having held the post of Keeper (Librarian) to the Faculty of Advocates. He provided an excellent summation of the intellectual basis on which Hume’s philosophical and historical writings were grounded, and also directed us to certain items of relevance in the exhibition adjacent. The evening terminated with a glass or two of wine (the reason for the back-to-front walk) with which we toasted the Great Philosopher.
Graeme Cruikshank
The Queen’s Bodyguard for Scotland (the Royal Company of Archers)
This illustrious institution was set up in 1676 although there is evidence of even earlier activity. The Company was granted a Royal charter by Queen Anne in 1703 and many famous personages have passed through their ranks since then including; Robert Burns, Sir Henry Raeburn, Sir Walter Scott and even the flamboyant balloonist Vincent Lunardi. An ancient minute book in the Company archive lists past members. At the present time they have 420 active members and 150 non-active members
The Company Secretary, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Callendar OBE, TD, welcomed 40 Club members and friends with an entertaining and informative, illustrated talk. He explained that the Company exists to provide a bodyguard for royal occasions in Scotland and promote archery. To this end, members compete for several prizes including; the 1709 silver ‘Edinburgh Arrow’, the Queen’s Prize, the Musselburgh Arrow (won as early as 1606), Montrose Arrow, etc.
Lt. Col. Callendar showed us his bows, traditionally made from English yew (or American yew nowadays) with a pulling weight of about 75 to 90 lbs. Bows found on the sunken Mary Rose (1545) were found to have required a remarkable 110 to 180 lbs! The normal shooting distance is 180 yards from the clout (target). Their uniform has changed over time and is now the familiar dark green jacket, trews and an eagle-feathered Balmoral bonnet. Annual duties include; Royal Week, garden parties and investitures at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, installation of Knights of the Thistle, presentation of new Colours for Scottish regiments, etc. Their appearance was also required at the opening of the Scottish Parliament, the lying-in-state of HM the Queen Mother and the recent visit of the Pope to Scotland.
After the talk we toured the 1776 building which was extended in 1901, enjoying a privileged view of its wonderful paintings, trophies and furniture. New shooting butts have recently been built at the back of the building and the previous bowling green is in the process of being replaced by a lawn discretely surrounded on two sides with student accommodation. The delightful evening was rounded off with coffee and biscuits.
Originally Royston House, Caroline Park House is a privately-owned 17th century country mansion. What is surprising is that it stands in its own grounds near the Forth Estuary at Granton, surrounded by industry and modern street landscaping. In its long history it has been the property of the Duke of Argyll (from 1739) who named it after his daughter, the Duke of Buccleuch (1794) and later Lady John Scott who wrote the song ‘Annie Laurie’. Patrick Geddes is known to have lived there and latterly it was the business premises of A.B. Fleming & Co Printers.
It was built by Sir George Mackenzie of Tarbat, a wealthy Member of Parliament and Fellow of the Royal Society, who in 1683 bought the 100 acre estate of Royston. He converted the existing 16th century house into a mansion around a courtyard. The main entrance was originally on the north side, approached from the sea. Mackenzie moved the entrance to the south facing elevation, converting it into the classical one we see today. It has the date 1696 above the pedimented door which is flanked by two ogee-roofed pavilions bearing the inscriptions ANNE VICOUNTES TARBAT and GEORGE VICOUNT TARBAT. Above the main entrance is a balcony with a glazed double door which suggests the original intention of a grand curved stone staircase, as in James Smith’s Newhailes House. The balcony sports a wrought-iron balustrade bearing the interwoven initials GT MW - George Tarbat and his second wife Margaret Wemyss.
Our guide was Ann Buchanan MA of Edinburgh Art Studies who knows Caroline Park House intimately. We entered through the original door on the north side and were conducted up the magnificent staircase with its wrought-iron roses by Alexander Gairdner. Ann then showed us into the drawing room with its almost monochromatic Norie landscape paintings. The Nories were a family of Scottish artists (1730 – 1840) the first of whom, James, set up the St Luke Academy with his contemporary Alan Ramsay. St Luke’s became the Trustees Academy then ultimately the Edinburgh College of Art. The magnificent State Room has more Norie landscapes but its main feature is the baroque panelled ceiling with a central painting of Aurora by the Huguenot Nicholas Heude. Ann pointed out the original sash cord windows – some of the earliest in Scotland. We progressed, as 18th century guests would have done into the State Bedroom which once sported a very expensive four-posted bed in anticipation of a royal visitor. The bedroom has more Norie paintings and another Heude – Diana and Endymion.
Having circumnavigated the building the 70 members and guests who attended had a welcome glass of wine in the elegant Living Room where Club Vice President Dr Robin Tait gave a vote of thanks for a wonderful evening to owners Mr and Mrs Parnell and our guide Ann Buchanan.
In the late 13th century some of the records of Scotland were removed by King Edward I. In 1650 Oliver Cromwell also ransacked our records and some were lost in the North Sea when they were being returned in 1660, so by the second half of the 18th century, Scotland’s records, by then housed in various places in the Old Town, were in a sorry state of neglect. In 1767 work started on the North Bridge to link the Old Town and the site of the New Town. It was decided that a building to house the records (which would activate the development of the New Town) should be positioned on the commanding site of Moutrie’s Hill, facing the bridge.
Robert and James Adam were commissioned to design a water-tight, fire-proof and weight-bearing repository for the records in 1769. Due to a major fire in 1770 and lack of finance a further 19 years were to pass before the building was ready for occupation. It was the first and is the oldest purpose-built records repository in the UK, possibly in Europe.
Our tour started in the impressive rotunda, until recently the Legal Search Room of the National Archives of Scotland (NAS), now part of the ScotlandsPeople Centre; it serves as a storage for hundreds of volumes of records. The ScotlandsPeople Centre is a joint project between NAS, the General Register Office for Scotland and the Court of the Lord Lyon, providing in one place indexes to and images of records of the major family history sources; it was officially opened in 2008.
The 1887 statue of George III by Anne Seymour Damer (niece of the then Lord Clerk Register, Lord Frederick Campbell) has recently been restored and repositioned to good effect.
By the 1820’s the north elevation of the original building was extended by Robert Reid to include the Reid Room – now the New Family History Centre, part of the recent reorganisation.
The NAS Historical Search Room, which still contains some of Scotland’s pre-union records in purpose built shelving in high presses, opened in 1847. Another dome added at the rear in 1871 was designed by Robert Matheson who also designed New Register House (1859-63) and the General Post Office (1866). The Robertson Wing, as now called, was added at the beginning of the 20th century to accommodate the Sasine Office. During our visit, technicians working overnight were seen photographically digitising volumes of records. They will not be short of work as the NAS's three buildings contain 72 kilometers (45 miles) of shelving!
We were shown the bowels of the building which originally acted as a heating system for the magnificent rotunda. This heating was augmented by coal fires in some offices some of which existed up until the 1950s.
Four tours for about 90 club members and friends over two evenings were expertly conducted by Alan Borthwick and Tristram Clarke, both principal members of staff at GRH and stalwarts of the OEC. Our tour concluded in the Lord Clerk Register’s Room, which has a spectacular view of the North Bridge, with a welcome glass of wine.
To Alan and Tristram we extend our grateful thanks.
Any members who missed the tours may have another chance later in the year, as it's hoped that on the Doors Open Day in September GRH will be open, but of course anyone is welcome to make use of the services offered in NAS or the ScotlandsPeople Centre during normal opening hours throughout the year - including the bookshop and cafe!
For more information on the architecture of GRH see the essay by Julian Small at; http://sites.scran.ac.uk/ada/documents/register/register_house.htm
Members and friends of the OEC were privileged to hear two excellent, informed speakers; Yvonne Holton on Scottish Heraldry and Elizabeth Roads describing the Thistle Chapel.
Yvonne Holton has the enviable position of Principal Artist in the office of Lord Lyon, King of Arms, producing documents and depicting Coats of Arms by hand on vellum.
She explained that since the 14th century knights displayed their crests in battle or during ceremonies as a means of identification by the then illiterate populace. The granting of Coats of Arms persists to this day but is now more egalitarian, any deserving person, organisation or business can have a Coat of Arms drawn up and granted. If the Arms are presented to an individual, they remain his or hers alone and don’t belong to their family.
Yvonne outlined the various components of a Coat of Arms; shield, helmet, motto, etc., and she described all the armorial banners on display in the Preston aisle of St Giles including those of Lord Preston of Gorton (after whom the aisle is named), Lord David Steel of Aikwood and the Old Edinburgh Club’s Honorary Vice-President Lord Cullen of Whitekirk.
The Lord Lyon is also responsible for State Ceremonies such as the forthcoming installation of the two most recent Knights of the Thistle, Lord Hope of Craighead and Lord Patel.
Heraldry is still a vibrant practice of which Scotland is rightly proud.
Elizabeth Roads (who is an OEC member) explained that the Order of the Thistle was revived by James VII in 1687. The Gothic-style Thistle Chapel “was gifted by John David Earl of Leven & Melville and his brothers, in fulfilment of the wishes of their father.” It was opened as an annexe on the east elevation of St Giles in 1911 by King George V, and contains stalls for the sixteen knights (originally there were twelve), as well as the Sovereign’s stall and two other Royal stalls. The stalls have elaborate, beautifully carved canopies and contain several colourful enamelled stall plates of the Knights of the Thistle (some of which were designed by Phoebe Anna Traquair). The helmets and crests of the knights (and ladies) sit proudly, high above the carvings.
The chapel, a testimony to Scottish craftsmanship, was designed by Sir Robert Lorimer (1864–1929) and other artists were Nathaniel Grieve & Co (woodwork - carved by W. & A. Clow), Louis Deuchars, Joseph Hays (sculpture), Thomas Hadden (iron work) Douglas Strachan and Louis Davis (stained glass).
Club President Dr Iain G Brown initially made the introduction and at the end of the evening, gave a vote of thanks to the two speakers as well as Veronika Kallus, St Giles Visitor Services Manager.
7th and 9th July 2009
Old Edinburgh Club members were treated to a unique event.
After his success last summer in conducting a walk around Edinburgh’s walls (exactly 100 years after the Old Edinburgh Club had organised a similar outing), Graeme D.R. Cruikshank, of Edinburgh Historical Enterprises and OEC council member, volunteered to organise a trip around sites associated with the poet Robert Burns who was born 250 years ago. Graeme shared the talk with Ian Chisholm, President of the Edinburgh & District Burns Clubs Association, who was complete with that Association’s regalia.
Burns first came to Edinburgh in November of 1786, it is thought, to publish a second edition of his successful ‘Kilmarnock Edition’ of his poetry.
We assembled in Lady Stairs Close – the very location of James Johnstone’s engraving business. Johnstone published 213 Scots songs in his Scots Musical Museum with the unpaid help of Robert Burns. Later, George Thompson published 114 songs with Burn’s help in his Scottish Airs. Ian Chisholm suggested that nowadays Burns is as well known for his songs as his poetry but that both Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson shared the incredible ‘elitist literary view’ that his songs were inferior to his poems.
Our party stopped outside Deacon Brodie’s Bar and Ian pointed out the position of Libberton’s Wynd in which stood Dowie’s Tavern, a favourite haunt of Burns. Mention was made of Sciennes Hill House, in the South Side, home of Adam Ferguson, meeting place of Burns and Scott.
Our next stop was at Anchor Close where William Smellie had his printing work and where the second edition of Burn’s poems was printed. Dawnie Douglas’s tavern, meeting place of the convivial drinking club, the ‘Crochallen Fencibles’ (founded by Smellie in 1778 until 1795), was also in Anchor Close. Many of the members were Freemasons, as was Burns. At the east end of the Luckenbooths which fronted St Giles High Kirk, William Creech, publisher of 3,000 copies of Burns’ Edinburgh Edition, had his bookshop.
Through St John’s Close stands the Canongate Kilwinning Lodge which still houses the painting by Stewart Watson of Burns’ inauguration as Poet Laureate before lodge members.
Graeme Cruikshank took over the commentary in Canongate Kirkyard stopping first at Prof Adam Smith’s grave (although contemporaries, Smith never met Burns). Adjacent to Smith’s grave is that of James Gregory, Professor of the Practice of Physic in 1776 aged 23, and inventor of the purgative, ‘Gregory’s Mixture’, who Burns met at Kilwinning Lodge during his visit to Edinburgh in 1787. Next visited was the grave of Robert Fergusson (1750-1774), the poet who had a great influence on Burns. Ian Chisholm broke the news that the grave, erected by Burns and now in dire need of attention, is to be restored by the Edinburgh Burns’ Society which will be fundraising for the £2,000 it is estimated it will cost. Graeme drew our attention to the magnificent northern skyline, pointing out the mausoleum of Prof Dugald Stewart (1753-1828, Mathematics and Moral Philosophy) on the Calton Hill and the Burns Monument designed by Thomas Hamilton (the architect of the nearby High School). The neo-classical Burns Monument is currently being restored at a cost of £300,000 and will re-open in September this year. It originally was a museum within which stood a marble statue of Robert Burns (one of hundreds all over the world) by John Flaxman which is now in the National Portrait Gallery.
The final grave visited was that of Agnes ‘Nancy’ McLehose – ‘Clarinda’ to Burns’s ‘Sylvander’ in their love-letters. Erected in 1922 the tablet shows a fine bronze relief portrait with the simple title ‘Clarinda’. Graeme drew our attention to its similarity to the silhouette by John Miers. In a final tour de force, Jim Shields, Director of the Robert Burns World Federation Limited, red rose in hand, sang the wonderful song which burns wrote for Clarinda, ‘Ae Fond Kiss’ - surely a first - and a truly memorable experience.
We then adjourned to the Canongate Kirk for a welcome glass of wine.
Due to its popularity the event was oversubscribed so there was a repeat performance two days later on Thursday 9th July.
Our grateful thanks are extended to the Rev. Neil Gardner, Jim Shields, and of course Graeme Cruikshank and Ian Chisholm.
Summer Visit to the Faculty of Advocate’s Library - 23rd June 2009
Fifty-five Club members were welcomed by Mungo Bovey QC, Keeper of the Advocates Library.
Our group, one of three being conducted by library staff, began the tour in Parliament Hall which was the location of the Scottish Parliament until 1707. Its spectacular hammerbeam roof and stain-glass window are rightly famous. The Hall also displays many paintings and statues of past Advocates, including a statue of Sir Walter Scott, and a fine one of Duncan Forbes of Culloden, in a sitting pose with his arm outstretched. It is less well known that the Hall at one time held shops selling ink, parchment, etc and that the large ornamented fireplace still functions as a welcome source of heat for the Advocates using the Hall in the winter. Advocates are still to be seen promenading up and down the Hall, deep in conversation.
The Faculty of Advocates dates back to 1532 and its library was founded in 1689. In 1709 the library was granted ‘the right to claim a copy of every book published in the British Isles’. William Henry Playfair (1790-1857) designed the existing corridor library in 1833 which, as well as books and reading areas, contains two paintings by Sir Henry Raeburn (one of which is of the notorious Lord Braxfield, R.L. Stevenson’s model for ‘The Weir of Hermiston’) and a war memorial by Sir Robert Lorimer. In 1925 the collection of 750,000 books on a diversity of subjects, became the foundation of the National Library of Scotland. Adjacent to the library is the Law Room, now another study area, in which the trial of Burke and Hare was conducted.
After being conducted round the library we descended to the Laigh Hall which held the Advocates extensive book collection in the early 1700s and has recently successfully reverted to that use as an extension library and reading area.
The evening was rounded off with a welcome glass of wine (courtesy of our hosts) and a short speech from our erudite Club President.
Graeme Cruickshank and the group at the long section of the Telfer Wall at Lauriston Place.
On the 18th of July 1908, John Geddie, Assistant Editor of The Scotsman, conducted a ‘Ramble’ around the remnants of Edinburgh’s walls. The trip was a joint meeting of the Edinburgh Photographic Society and the Old Edinburgh Club. Exactly 100 years to the day, historian Graeme Cruickshank guided Club members and guests around the walls.
Members met in the National Library of Scotland where Peter Stubbs, the Edinburgh Photographic representative, gave a short talk about the beginnings of photography and the founding of the Society in 1861. Having given a brief introduction, historian Graeme Cruickshank, accompanied by a Times photographer, led about 30 members round the streets of Edinburgh.
As Edinburgh Castle on its rock and Nor’ Loch formed natural barriers, the fortifications were built along the south and east borders of the town. They not only served as a military defence but also helped to control trade and acted as a barrier to the dreaded plague. A section of the 15th century King’s Wall still survives in Tweeddale Close and another section of its foundation was recently discovered during the upgrading of the west end of the Grassmarket. Graeme described elaborate Royal pageants which took place at the West Port and Bristo Port. Lengths of the Flodden Wall (16th century) were seen in Greyfriars cemetery and in the Pleasance and a long section of the 17th century Telfer Wall is seen between the Vennel and Lauriston Place.
Walkers were privileged to be addressed by Dr. David Caldwell of the Royal Museum of Scotland who showed them one of two remaining short sections of the Flodden Wall which skirted the south side of the museum. Council member Dr. Allen Simpson briefly enlightened us about other sections of the wall which once lay within the Museum.
The walk ended up at the Scottish Storytelling Centre where we were served delicious canapés and a glass of wine. President Dr. Iain Brown, who was sporting the Club’s new presidential regalia, described the John Knox House centre as the Club’s birthplace as it was here that William J Hay, one of the founders of the Club, conducted his printing publishing and retails business.
As the excursion was oversubscribed Graeme generously conducted a repeat performance the following evening.
