Publication Account

Date 1981

Event ID 1018063

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Publication Account

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1018063

After the failure of many earlier projects, a university was founded at Edinburgh in 1583. Scanty funds hindered expansion in its first years, and necessitated the use of existing buildings, such as the Duke of Chatellhareuralt's town house and the church of St.Mary's-in-theFields. In time there grew up at Kirk O'Field a quaint group of quadrangular buildings which Maitland described as having three courts, one to the north and a smaller one to the south, two sides of which were occupied by lecture rooms, professor's houses and the library, as well as the house of the principal and living quarters for resident students (Anon, 1884, 64).

By the third quarter of the eighteenth century the college buildings were inadequate for the needs of the students. The school had grown from humble beginnings until 1750 when it boasted four faculties and had been a degree granting university since the early 1700's (Blaikie, 1909, 8). Nevertheless the university buildings were falling into disrepair, so much so that an Italian traveller in 1788 remarked, 'what is called a college is nothing else than a mass of ruined buildings of very ancient construction ... ' (Anon, 1884, 67).

As early as 1768 Principal Robertson had pushed for new university quarters, but the foundation of a new complex was not laid until November, 1789 after a portion of the old college had been pulled down (Anon,1884, 68). Robert Adam designed the new quadrangle and the site he had to deal with faced the new artery known as South Bridge on the east, rising sharply in the west to the thoroughfare known as Horse Wynd; which led to the Potterow Port (RCAM, 1951, 115). On the north the site was bounded by Jamaica Street which ran west on the line of the modern Chambers Street through Argyle's Square to Candlemaker Row. The boundary on the south was 'Thief Raw' which became College Street. The east end of College Street. is some ten feet (3.05m) higher than Chambers Street, and Adam took full advantage of the difference of level, placing a great portico in the centre of the facade (RCAM, 1951, 115). The portico, which is guarded by six massive doric columns, led to an atrium inside, and an arcaded passage led west to the main quadrangle, or great court, beyond (RCAM, 1951, 115).

Information from ‘Historic Edinburgh, Canongate and Leith: The Archaeological Implications of Development’ (1981).