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Edinburgh, 70 West Port
Inscribed Stone (17th Century), Shop (19th Century), Tenement (19th Century)
Site Name Edinburgh, 70 West Port
Classification Inscribed Stone (17th Century), Shop (19th Century), Tenement (19th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Cordiners' Stone; 1 - 32 Cordiners' Land
Canmore ID 52280
Site Number NT27SE 260
NGR NT 25154 73232
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/52280
- Council Edinburgh, City Of
- Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District City Of Edinburgh
- Former County Midlothian
Stone above doorway with the wreathed emblem of Cordiners Arms and inscription;
'Behold how good a thing it is
And how becoming well.
Together such as brethren are
in unity to dwell.
AD 1696'
Publication Account (1951)
Carved Stone, 70 West Port.
A panel bearing the insignia of the Cordiners' Incorporation has been inserted for preservation above the entrance to the modern tenement at this address. In its two upper corners there are cherub's heads, while lower down a hand issues from either side and supports a garland enclosing a rounding-knife surmounted by a crown. The lowest part of the panel is occupied by a cartouche with a foliaceous border interrupted by grotesque heads. The cartouche is inscribed with the initial verse of Psalm cxxxiii, followed by the date A.D. 1696. The text runs as follows:
BEHOLD HOW GOOD A THING IT IS, / AND HOW
BECOMING WELL, /
TOGETHER SUCH AS BRETHERN ARE / IN UNITY TO
DWELL.
RCAHMS 1951, visited c.1941
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 (2 August 1999)
Square carved stone relief framed by architectural moulding (red sandstone) with two winged heads with a wreath between them held by two hands. Within the wreath are a crown and a cordiner's tool.
An integral stone panel below contains the inscription, and has a face at the top centre and at the bottom centre, and a scroll at either end.
The panel dates from 1696 and was reinstated on the façade of this building when it was erected in 1887.
A cordiner, or cordwainer, is a shoemaker.
Inscriptions : On panel within relief at bottom (incised letters):
BEHOLD how good a thing it is, / And how becoming well. / Together such as brethren are / in unity to dwell.
AD 1696
[On rectangular panel in stone, at first floor level on the same building, above No.64 (raised letters):
LOVE . GOD . ABOVE / ALL / . AND . YOUR . NEIGHBOUR / AS . YOURSELF (within pediment, thistle on top, architectural frame)]
Signatures : None
Design period : 1696
Year of unveiling : 1887
Information from Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA Work Ref : EDIN0162)
