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Edinburgh, Canonmills, Royal Gymnasium

Gymnasium (Modern)

Site Name Edinburgh, Canonmills, Royal Gymnasium

Classification Gymnasium (Modern)

Canmore ID 148717

Site Number NT27SE 3882.01

NGR NT 25304 74768

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/148717

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Edinburgh, City Of
  • Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
  • Former Region Lothian
  • Former District City Of Edinburgh
  • Former County Midlothian

Activities

Excavation (May 2015 - December 2019)

NT 2530 7476 As part of the Playing The Past Project (PTP), designed to explore the physical history and built heritage of some of Scotland’s most important football clubs, a programme of archaeological work was undertaken within the former ground of St Bernard’s Football Club, and the former Royal Gymnasium, both located in what is now King George V Park in Edinburgh’s New Town. Currently, the site is used as a public park and local sports ground, and is managed and owned by the City of Edinburgh Council. The archaeological work was managed and supervised by Archaeology Scotland and was undertaken in consultation with The City of Edinburgh Archaeologist, John Lawson, with support from volunteers from Crisis Skylight Edinburgh and Worldwide Volunteers. It took place intermittently between May 2015 and December 2019.

The archaeological works comprised a three-day archaeological excavation of two (out of four planned) small trenches located on the north-western extent of the former football ground, and previously the Royal Gymnasium. The trenches were sited across the recorded location of the former terraces of the football ground. Through excavation of the trenches, the project aimed to investigate any surviving remains of the former St. Bernard’s FC football ground and the Royal Gymnasium and to explore their phasing, construction, and how they were used and eventually abandoned. To provide additional background information to inform the excavation and other elements of PTP project work, map regression analysis leading to a basic desk-based assessment was undertaken of the study area, King George V Park.

The trenches (Trench 2 and 4) measured 2 x 1.5m by up to 1.2m deep, and 3 x 1m by 0.3m deep respectively. Excavation revealed the presence of deposits likely relating to the levelling of the last St. Bernard’s football ground dating to 1924, undertaken post-1949, prior to the creation of King George V Park. The nature of the deposits suggests that at least some of the material likely originally derived from the nearby coal depot. The depth of deposits encountered suggests that there is the possibility of finding remains associated with earlier features/structures (such as the 1901 St. Bernard’s ground and the Royal Gymnasium rotary boat) beneath the excavation level reached so far.

A second phase of work, including a walkover survey in and around the park, was undertaken by Archaeology Scotland staff in December 2019, in order to identify any surviving upstanding features associated with the football ground and to record the nearby Rodney Street Railway Tunnel. A few elements, namely part of the eastern terrace of the 1924 ground, and a 19th-century revetment wall, archway and access ramp, were identified and recorded within the park during the survey, together with the well preserved Rodney Street Railway tunnel and pathways in the eastern part of the park, which likely represent the remains of former railway lines.

Archive: NRHE

Funder: Archaeology Scotland; Historic Environment Scotland; National Lottery Heritage Fund

Héléna Gray – Archaeology Scotland

(Source: DES Vol 21)

Excavation (August 2021 - May 2022)

Dave McNicol – CFA Archaeology Ltd

NT 25304 74768 A watching brief and excavation were carried out in during the redevelopment of 34 Fettes Row. This stage of works followed on from mitigation measures including a standing building survey and an evaluation. The work took place from August 2021 to May 2022.

The watching brief revealed no features associated with the Royal Gymnasium or earlier deposits relating to the former Cannonmills Loch, with no other archaeological features or deposits uncovered. The excavation revealed the truncated remains of the late 19th-century rotary boat ride called The Sea Serpent, which was part of the Royal Patent Gymnasium. The Royal Patent Gymnasium was open from 1865 to the end of the 19th century, with The Sea Serpent consisting of a 600-seater circular rotary boat. Although no remains of the boat or the machinery that helped turn the boat were uncovered, the foundations of each section of The Sea Serpent, as depicted in an 1868 press advert and photo taken in c1875, were uncovered. This included the foundations of the outer boundary fence; the pond in which the boat sat; the tile runners for the boat; the piers which allowed access and egress on to the boat; and the central mound which held the pole on to which the boat was attached to and aided its turning.

The circular rotary boat would have been 140m long, with a

diameter of 44m. Four sections of the boat consisted of wooden steps, which allowed access between the boat seating area and the fixed piers located around The Sea Serpent. These wooden steps had wheels attached to their sides, which would have run along the circular tile rings uncovered in the excavation, while the rest of the boat would have rested in the water. Between the steps, two wooden masts and a wooden box structure were situated, built into the rotary boat, the wooden box structures were possibly used as ballast to stabilise the boat. Ropes or wires ran from these structures to the top of a pole in the centre of The Sea Serpent. The base of this pole, where it attached to a central plinth, was uncovered during the excavation. It is likely that at least the top part of the pole rotated along with the rotation of the boat.

Archive: NRHE and Edinburgh City Council HER (intended)

Funder: Ediston

(Source: DES Volume 23)

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