Architecture Notes

Event ID 774076

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Architecture Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/774076

ARCHITECT: Sir George Washington Browne

NMRS REFERENCE

Copy of a letter attached to a plan held in Scottish Record Office (NMRS photographed- B30946 and B30947- missing at time of upgrade 9.12.1997.)

"Mr. White,

Senior Architect

Holyroodhouse - Forecourt

1. The scheme for the above has been further developed and a plan giving effect to the proposals and a bird's-eye view are passed herewith.

The King Edward statue is shown in the suggested position with a straight length of railing in the place of the present screen wall and paved podium. The area behind this would require to be fairly closely planted out, as the view westward is singularly unattractive and a reasonable measure of enclosure to the forecourt appears to be called for. The line of railing on the north side of the palace is shown following the existing one. Were it to be moved eastward, it would be very close to the heating chamber and the latter might be unduly conspicuous even although it is largely underground.

2. Having pondered our forecourt problems for some time, I wonder whether anything is to be gained by destroying the architectural link (now represented by the 1831 cast iron railings) between the strong line of Sir George Washington Browne's railings and gates and the palace, which separates the formal rectangular forecourt from the informal romantic gardens beyond. As far as can be gathered, the forecourt with the palace facade appears to have been conceived as an enclosed piece of urban development linked to the Royal Mile by the former Abbey Strand gatehouse and much more rigorously separatted from the royal gardens than now. In this respect ot resembles the octagonal forecourt of the Royal Palace at Copenhagen, which is attractively paved with setts and has a central equestrian statue, while the enclosing palace buildings are linked together by railings with gardens behind.

3. I am inclined to think that our best line of approach may be found in retaining the strong element of enclosure and by emphasising and even extending the formal character of the forecourt rather than by an intrusion of the garden. Apart from the solution of the King Edward Memorial scheme, one might ultimately aim at the removal of flower beds from around the fountain and devise some imaginative scheme of setts and paving to take the place of the present tarmac.

4. While any proposals will doubtless require Her Majesty's approval, the whole matter seems important enough to warrant at least consultation with the Royal Fine Arts Commission. That body was, I believe, consulted in the'30's when the modification of the King Edward Memorial was first mooted.

I trust you do not mind my submitting these points for consideration.

(Signed: George Hay)

(GEORGE HAY)

Assistant Architect.

9th September, 1960."

(Undated) information in NMRS.