Edinburgh, Hunter Square, General
General View
Site Name Edinburgh, Hunter Square, General
Classification General View
Alternative Name(s) Stevenlaws Close
Canmore ID 117114
Site Number NT27SE 1324
NGR NT 25913 73620
NGR Description Centred NT 2591 7362
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/117114
- Council Edinburgh, City Of
- Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District City Of Edinburgh
- Former County Midlothian
NT27SE 1324 centred 2591 7362
REFERENCE:
Sources: Dean of Guild Bundle 1813 January-June 11.2.1813
Pet. Richard Paterson, clothier and silk mercer
No 8 Hunter Square
Sources: Dean of Guild 16.12.1813.
Pet. Thomas and James Smith, merchants.
Head of Blairs Street or Hunters Square.
Minor alterations.
Plan and elevation, unsigned.
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 August 1999)
Four bronze square baskets of fruits and leaves spaced either side of two stone seats at the back of the raised plaza area up steps at the rear of Tron Kirk. These camouflage sandstone entrances to underground public toilets. Four more baskets and two seats, to the left at street level in a pedestrian area, are linked by stone benches to the upper level. The lower seats have grey granite surrounds (roughened compared to the polished seats).
Simon Ward was the modeller and mould-maker for the baskets.
Inscriptions : On upper right seat plaque (incised letters): OLIVE. n. A MEAN TERM. / It is the meek and innocent dove of trees / as the dove is the OLIVE of birds having such sympathy / and fair correspondences with them. / Hawkins, Partheneia Sacra
On upper left seat plaque (incised letters): RED CURRANT. n. THE SCOTTISH VINE. / The RED CURRANTS fruit on the old wood / in the same way as apples and not on the new wood / as do black currants / James, Complete Guide to Home Gardens
On lower right seat plaque (incised letters): PEAR. n. A PARADIGM OF LIMIT. / Opusculum paedagogum. / The PEARS are not viols / Wallace Stevens, Study of Two Pears
On lower left seat plaque (incised letters): NUT. n. AN ARCADIAN ATOM. / The scarlet hypp and the hindberrye, / And the NUT that hung frae the hazel tree / James Hogg, Bonny Kilmeny
Signatures : None
Year of unveiling : 1996
Unveiling details : Unveiled 13 January 1997 by HRH Prince of Wales
Information from Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA Work Ref : EDIN0106)
Field Visit (26 August 1999)
Large circular bowl containing water and fountain (bubbling). Coiling forms fold back on each other, within circle of square cobbles.
The forms relate to the volcanic nature of the site, equating geological curves/flows and body of the earth with the inner workings of the human body. Bubbling water suggests a natural spring but the artist's original idea was for still, reflective, calm water.
Inscriptions : None
Signatures : None
Design period : 1994-1996
Year of unveiling : 1996
Unveiling details : Unveiled 13th January 1997 by HRH Prince of Wales
Information from Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA Work Ref : EDIN0166)