View of old entrance to Lochrin Basin on Union Canal, Lower Gilmore Place, Edinburgh, showing recent developments, taken from the north-west.

Description View of old entrance to Lochrin Basin on Union Canal, Lower Gilmore Place, Edinburgh, showing recent developments, taken from the north-west.

Date 13/8/2014

Collection Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu

Catalogue Number DP 195068

Category On-line Digital Images

Scope and Content The Union Canal opened in 1822, with three basins being constructed at the eastern terminus of the canal shortly after its completion on the site of three small lochans adjacent to Lochrin Distillery. These lochans are visible as early as Robert Kirkwood's map of 1817, and by the time of John Wood's map of 1823 the westernmost lochan has been formed into a more regular basin with access from the canal at its north-western corner. The original 'Inner Basin' marked on maps from the 1820s became Port Hopetoun, and Port Hamilton to the west of this is marked on maps for the first time (though unnamed) in 1832. As the canal was overtaken by the railway to transport goods during the latter half of the 19th century, the basins eventually closed and were filled in: Lochrin Basin was closed in 1906, with Ports Hamilton and Hopetoun following in 1922. The canal itself finally closed to navigation in 1965, before being revived by a major regeneration project which saw it reopening in 2001. Since this date, major redevelopment has happened around the site of the former basins, and this shows a series of four- and five-storeyed blocks of flats and offices built 2001-5 by Michael Laird Architects on the south side of the canal.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/1436736

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap