Following the launch of trove.scot in February 2025 we are now planning the retiral of some of our webservices. Canmore will be switched off on 24th June 2025. Information about the closure can be found on the HES website: Retiral of HES web services | Historic Environment Scotland
Edinburgh, 271 Canongate, Edinburgh School Of English
Church (19th Century), Training School (20th Century)
Site Name Edinburgh, 271 Canongate, Edinburgh School Of English
Classification Church (19th Century), Training School (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Cranston Street; United Presbyterian And United Free Church
Canmore ID 132851
Site Number NT27SE 2811
NGR NT 26187 73729
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/132851
- Council Edinburgh, City Of
- Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District City Of Edinburgh
- Former County Midlothian
NT27SE 2811 26187 73726
Architect: James Paterson, 1869.
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 (1 August 2002)
Linear unicorn painted red
Inspected By : D. King
Inscriptions :
Signatures : None
Design period : c 1995-1996 (?)
Information from Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA Work Ref : EDIN0750)
Watching Brief (31 October 2022)
NT 26189 73715 A watching brief was undertaken at 271 Canongate, on 31 October 2022, in advance of the refurbishment of the building. The site is the former Edinburgh School of English, a Category C Listed Building built as a church in 1869. The building, comprehensively refurbished in the 1990s, lies directly on the Canongate frontage, in the heart of the historic burgh.
A watching brief was maintained on the excavations required to accommodate a new lift-shaft base. A 2.1 x 1.9m trench was excavated from below the existing timber floor of the ground floor. Below the timber flooring was a former disturbed sandstone-slab floor or sub-floor, supported on masonry sleeper walls. These walls contained a loose rubble fill containing 20th- and 21st- century material. No significant finds or archaeological features were identified.
Archive: NRHE (intended) Funder: CRISIS UK
Philip Karsgaard – Addyman Archaeology
