Edinburgh, Ramsay Garden, General
House (Period Unassigned), Tenement (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Edinburgh, Ramsay Garden, General
Classification House (Period Unassigned), Tenement (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Ramsay Gardens
Canmore ID 111653
Site Number NT27SE 632
NGR NT 25376 73565
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/111653
- Council Edinburgh, City Of
- Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District City Of Edinburgh
- Former County Midlothian
NT27SE 632.00 2537 7356
ARCHITECTS: S Henbest Capper-Nos 8-16
Sydney Mitchell & Wilson 1893/4
Employed by Patrick Geddes
EXTERNAL REFERENCES:
Sources: Dean of Guild 2.6.1814
Pet. John Rochead - music seller.
No. 372 Castlehill.
Plan and Elevation for shop front, unsigned.
It is possible but not certain that collection item SMW/1890/50/1 relates to Ramsay Garden (AC 13 December 2001).
NT27SE 632.01 25393 73581 1, 1A, 2 Ramsay Garden
NT27SE 632.02 25378 73573 3 - 10 Ramsay Garden
NT27SE 632.03 25356 73559 11, 12 Ramsay Gargen
NT27SE 632.04 25363 73542 13 - 16 Ramsay Garden
Project (1997)
The Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (http://www.pmsa.org.uk/) set up a National Recording Project in 1997 with the aim of making a survey of public monuments and sculpture in Britain ranging from medieval monuments to the most contemporary works. Information from the Edinburgh project was added to the RCAHMS database in October 2010 and again in 2012.
The PMSA (Public Monuments and Sculpture Association) Edinburgh Sculpture Project has been supported by Eastern Photocolour, Edinburgh College of Art, the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust, Historic Scotland, the Hope Scott Trust, The Old Edinburgh Club, the Pilgrim Trust, the RCAHMS, and the Scottish Archive Network.
Field Visit (26 September 2002)
Large sculpture that was designed as a devil, but now looks like a cat with up-curled tail, stands on gable of Ramsay Garden peering down into Princes Street Gardens.
This was originally one of three sculptures on the roof of Ramsay Garden. An angel finial stood above the western gable of the Princes Street façade, and a sphinx in the centre further back.
Geddes may have been influenced by seeing ceramic creatures decorating roofs in India.
Inspected By : D.King
Inscriptions : None Visible
Signatures : None Visible
Design period : 1893 (building)
Information from Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA Work Ref : EDIN1005)
Field Visit (26 September 2002)
Architectural sundial extends and echoes the shape of the red sandstone-edged window above it. The dated frame contains a half-angel holding a shield-shaped sundial with incised Roman numerals. Greek inscriptions on unmatching blocks either side, and a line from a poem by Robert Burns below the relief's frame.
The line of poetry 'It's comin yet for a' that' is from Robert Burns' poem 'A man's a man for a' that'.
Inspected By : D. King
Inscriptions : Greek inscription on either side of panel (raised upper case letters)
Below angel, on bottom ledge (raised numbers): 1892
Below ledge (raised letters): ITS COMIN YET FOR A THAT
Signatures : None Visible
Design period : 1892
Information from Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA Work Ref : EDIN1008)
Field Visit (26 September 2002)
Two decorated consoles support a second floor balcony at the corner with a tower. Left console has foliage carved in relief on the outside and a shield, also carved in relief, with an anchor and a twisting rope on its front curving edge. Right hand console has a unicorn's head on its shield and is plain sided.
(There is also a worn squat shield in relief at the base of crow steps beneath this window carved with what might be a scorpion in low relief.)
Inspected By : D. King
Inscriptions : None
Signatures : None Visible
Design period : 1892
Information from Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA Work Ref : EDIN1009)
