New Calton

Burial Ground &

Watchtower
Archival Research
EH
 Data Gathering Values

Historical

-Primary Texts Artistic Whether to

-- Reports, Maps conserve?
-Secondary Texts
What to
--Books, Websites Architectural conserve?
Cultural
- Fieldwork How to conserve?
Significance
- Interview with Urban Adaptive Reuse?
Stakeholders
Other
-- Susan Bucham (EWH)
suggestions?
-- Tourists Landscape

Social
 Historical
Context

New Calton Burial

Ground

Calton Burial
Ground
Third New Town

Waterloo Palace
Second New Town

First New Town

Old Town
New Calton Burial Ground

Calton Burial Ground Postcard 1814, Watchtower and gated tombs made to
Source: https://scottandbrown.com/blog/2016/11/15/calton-burying-ground-and-princes-street-1814 guard the graves
Edgar’s Map of 1742 (National Library of Scotland) Old Calton Burial Ground
Archer’s Map of 1818 (National Library of Scotland) Old Calton Burial Ground New Calton Burial Ground
1890s

1890s big

© Landmark Information Group Ltd and Crown copyright 2021. FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY.

Scale 1:5000 Jun 10, 2021 17:27

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University of Edinburgh
Projection: British National Grid
1940s
1940s big

• Major
development
in the
surroundings-
St Andrews
house (Old
Parliament)

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University of Edinburgh
Projection: British National Grid
 Old Calton Burial Ground New Calton Burial Ground
Contemporary

10/06/2021 Google Maps

Imagery ©2021 Google, Imagery ©2021 CNES / Airbus, Getmapping plc, Infoterra Ltd & Bluesky, Maxar Technologies, The GeoInformation Group, Map data ©2021 Google 50 m

https://www.google.com/maps/@55.9534325,-3.1806466,432m/data=!3m1!1e3 1/1
 1850s
1850s 1870s 1870s

© Landmark Information Group Ltd and Crown copyright 2021. FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY. © Landmark Information Group Ltd and Crown copyright 2021. FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY.

Scale 1:1000 Jun 10, 2021 17:19 Scale 1:1000 Jun 10, 2021 17:20

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 m excellent hansda 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 m excellent hansda

University of Edinburgh University of Edinburgh

Projection: British National Grid Projection: British National Grid

1970s
1970s

• Loss of trees in the graveyard in 1870s maps

• Underground Tunnel created in the north but no major
changes from 1870s in the burial ground

© Landmark Information Group Ltd and Crown copyright 2021. FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY.

Scale 1:1000 Jun 10, 2021 17:21

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 m excellent hansda

University of Edinburgh
Timeline

• 1718- Old Calton Burial Ground is formed

• 1815- Waterloo Palace built cutting off the Old Burial Ground
• 1816- Edinburgh Town Council provided new land to the Incorporated Trades of Calton, out of views to the new town
• 1816- New Calton Burial Ground is constructed; the first bodies are of those dug when Waterloo Palace was built out of
Old Calton Burial Ground
• 1820- Watchtower built
• 1832 - Anatomy Acts ends the business of body snatching
• 1842- ”Gardeners Magazine” appreciate New Calton Burial Ground as the best-preserved graveyard
• 1856- management goes in the hands of Edinburgh council
• 1863- More than 800 burials happened in 1863; in 1860s, the burial ground has the most burials
• 1873- Burial Ground Closed for new burials
• 1931- Watchtower gets abandoned
• 1996- Edinburgh gets UNESCO World Heritage Inscription
• 2013- Edinburgh World Heritage provides funding for repairs in the graveyard
• 2015- The Graveyard project begins which will fund 5 graveyards of Edinburgh
Phases

1816- 1st stage

1820- Watchtower

2nd stage

Gate opened in 1870s

3rd
stage
Associational value
Inhabitants of the burial ground

• Andrew Fyfe- First burial of New Calton- Surgeon

• 6 Admirals- which gave the name “Cemetery of the
Admirals
• Archibald Elliot- Architect
• Robert Stevenson and his 3 sons- Civil Engineer
• David Bryce- Architect
• William MacGillivray- Naturalist
• Richard Jordan- World Champion Robert Stevenson William MacGillivray
• William Knox- Poet

William Knox David Bryce

 Surroundings- Views from the site

1. Burns Monument 2. Royal High School 3. Old Town Skyline 4. Holyrood Palace
10/06/2021 Google Maps

2
5. North Berwick Hills
1 5. North Berwick Hill
5

3 4
6

Watch Tower
Imagery ©2021 Google, Imagery ©2021 CNES / Airbus, Getmapping plc, Infoterra Ltd & Bluesky, Maxar Technologies, The GeoInformation Group, Map data ©2021 Google 50 m

6. Arthur’s Seat
https://www.google.com/maps/@55.9534325,-3.1806466,432m/data=!3m1!1e3 1/1
Surroundings- protected areas/landmarks

Royal High School Calton Hill Old Parliament Building Waverly Station
10/06/2021 Google Maps

Canongate

Imagery ©2021 Google, Imagery ©2021 CNES / Airbus, Getmapping plc, Infoterra Ltd & Bluesky, Maxar Technologies, The GeoInformation Group, Map data ©2021 Google 50 m

New Parliament Building

https://www.google.com/maps/@55.9534325,-3.1806466,432m/data=!3m1!1e3 1/1
Figure Ground
Site Plan
d
Area- 1.4 ha R oa
ent B
g
Re

A’

Road
Calton
B’
 Landscape Value

Terraces
Plants
Boundary walls- Internal and External
Surfaces
Paths

New Calton Graveyard is the precursor of Victorian Cemetry design, known for ornamental planting and terraces- a popular
alternative of traditional church graveyard
Artistic Value

Sculptural Work Sculptural Work Stone carving- Relief Stone carving- Calligraphy
Architectural Value
 Chimneys
Architectural Value
Battlements
3 storied circular tower

Elements Segmental Window Frame

- Chimneys
- Battlements
Ashlar rybats
- Bands
- Door and windows frames
- Pencheck Stairs Iron Balusters

Materials
- Sandstone (Ashlar and Rubble)
Pencheck stairs
- Wrought Iron

Rubble wall

Bands
Architectural Value
+9.8 M

+8.2 M

+5.38 M

+2.43 M

+-0.0 M

0 0.5 1 2 4
WEST FACADE SOUTH FACADE
Architectural Value

0 0.5 1 2 4
EAST FACADE NORTH FACADE
Architectural Value

First floor Plan Ground floor Plan

N Area- 21 sqm
Architectural Value

Roof Plan Second Floor Plan

N
Architectural Value

Interiors
Interviews/Reports

Tourism-
In 2010, 3.27 million visitors and 1 billion GBP generated
In 2015, 3.85 million and 1.31 billion GBP generated (VisitEdinburgh webste)

Edinburgh
Graveyard Project
by Edinburgh World
Heritage and World
Monuments Fund
Britain
Cultural Significance

• Form and Design- Watchtower has penchecked stairs and chimneys; Graveyard has terraces and make use of natural
slope
• Material and Substance- Sandstone and Wrought Iron
• Use and Function- Watchtower now abandoned was used as an accommodation and security purpose; Tourist site
• Traditions, Techniques and workmanship- a precursor to Victorian graveyard; stonework on tombs and sculptures
• Location and Setting- Also known as tombs with views, the graveyard captures views of cultural and natural
properties; Located in close proximity with landmarks and cultural landscapes
• Spirit and Feeling- Acc to tourist, has a serene setting which capture view
Holds strong historical, artistic, architectural, associational and landscape values

Greyfriar Kirkyard Canongate Kirkyard New Calton Burial Ground Dean Cemetry

Ecclesiastical & grand Secular & planned

What to conserve?

Upgradation of the Graveyard to create walking heritage trail

- Adaptive Reuse- Watchtower Into an Interpretation centre
- Restoration of significant Tombs
-- General guidelines for tombs/sculptures
-- Landscaping