Calton Old Burial Ground Photo, Architect, Date, History, David Hume monument, Scottish memorial picture
Calton Old Burial Ground Edinburgh
Historic Buildings + Monuments, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, Scotland
post updated 20 April 2024
The David Hume Mausoleum in Old Calton graveyard has been conserved, thanks to a joint project led by the City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh World Heritage.
photograph © Adrian Welch
Calton Old Burial Ground News
The total cost of the project was £5,000, funded by the City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh World Heritage, with kind donations from the Regent, Royal and Carlton Terraces Association and others. Oct 2011
Calton Old Burial Ground
Key Monuments / Buildings:
Hamilton’s Obelisk
Governor’s House by Archibald Elliot (former Edinburgh Gaol)
Memorial to David Hume by Robert Adam
Location: Waterloo Place, New Town
photo © Adrian Welch
Calton Old contains the Grave of David Hume, Grave of Robert Stevenson, Martyr’s monument and the American Civil War memorial
The scattered monuments on this hill go a long way to earning Edinburgh the sobriquet of Athens of the North. I have never been keen on cities trying to impress by referring to another but in this case there are strong historical reasons why this came about.
For an explanation could read Charles McKean’s Guide to Edinburgh Architecture but in short almost every building here dates from the Scottish Enlightenment and the ubiquitous Greek, and principally Acropolis, references symbolised erudition.
No larger images:
photographs © Adrian Welch
If you return here to the centre along Waterloo Place (hugely expensive ‘bridge’ from 1815), visit the Calton Old Burial Ground on the left. Here there is Hamilton’s Obelisk to Political Martyrs and Robert Adam‘s Memorial to David Hume, 1777, and Bridewell.
Robert Adam Monument:
photograph © Adrian Welch
To the East of the enclosure sits the Governor’s House, Archibald Elliot (architect of nearby Waterloo Place), 1817, the only remaining part of the huge Calton Gaol that was replaced by St Andrew’s House. Sir Rowand Anderson referred to this House as a toy castle on account of its fake battlements, but for many it adds to the romanticism of valley and hill.
Archibald Elliot
1760-1823
Scottish architect Archibald Elliot was also involved in property designs at Stobo Castle, Monteviot House and The Haining, all in the Borders.
photographs © Adrian Welch
Scottish Capital Building Designs
Contemporary Scottish Capital Property Designs – recent architectural selection below:
View looking west towards Calton Old Burial Ground:
image © Adrian Welch
Calton Old Burial Ground context : Edinburgh New Town
Buildings / photos for the Calton Old Burial Ground Architecture in Edinburgh Old Town pages welcome