Detail of bull's head sculpture on Edinburgh Meat Market Archway, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh.

Description Detail of bull's head sculpture on Edinburgh Meat Market Archway, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh.

Date 5/8/2014

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

Catalogue Number DP 238085

Category On-line Digital Images

Scope and Content In the 19th century, the main slaughterhouses for the City of Edinburgh were located in the Old Town near the Nor'Loch, and were removed from this site in the 1840s to make way for the construction of Waverley Station. As part of early public health improvements, the first municipal slaughterhouses were established in 1852 in Fountainbridge. These were located on the site now occupied by Tollcross Primary School. In 1884, a meat market was erected on the corner of Fountainbridge and Semple Street. Designed by architect Peter Lyle Barclay Henderson (1848-1912), the meat market continued to operate until the 1960s, though on a much reduced scale in its latter years. It was also a distribution centre for meat during rationing in WWII. Following its closure as a meat market, the building was used for a variety of entertainment purposes until it was demolished in 2008 and new offices built on the site. This archway was transferred when the building was demolished. It comprises two arches with bull's head corbels in the keystones supporting an aedicule (opening framed by columns and a pediment). Within the triangular pediment is the date 1884, and the aedicule has 'Edinburgh Meat Market' carved in relief between fluted pilasters. A plaque outlining the history of the slaughterhouses and the meat market has been inserted in the pavement below the left hand arch.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/1461377

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap