Ross Fountain Refurbishment, West Princes Street Gardens Restoration News, Design, Project

Ross Fountain Restoration, Edinburgh

West Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, Scotland: Renewal Information

2 Feb 2019

Ross Fountain Renewal News

Edinburgh engineering company was behind £2m restoration of Princes Street’s Ross Fountain

A small but highly effective Scottish engineering and design company has been behind the recently accomplished restoration and renovation of the dramatic Ross Fountain in West Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh.

Ross Fountain Restoration in Edinburgh

7 Jul 2017

Ross Fountain Restoration Starts

Work begins on Edinburgh’s A-listed Ross Fountain Renewal

The statue at the top of The Ross Fountain in West Princes Street Gardens was lifted off marking the start of the £1.5M renovation. The event took place noon on Thursday 6th July, 2017.

This is part of the wider £25M revitalisation of West Princes Street Gardens.

The two tonne statue at the top of the fountain was removed by a 15m crane.

Industrial Heritage Consulting Ltd. are the Project Managers on the fountain conservation works. They have been working with The Ross Development Trust on this project.

WHEN:
1 Jun 2017

Ross Fountain Restoration

Work has begun to restore Edinburgh’s A-listed Ross Fountain to its former glory

After initial inspections, the cast-iron feature will be removed piece by piece this summer from West Princes Street Gardens before being repaired and returned in Spring 2018.

Crafted in Antione Durenne’s foundry in France in the early 1800s, the structure was gifted to the city by local gunsmith Daniel Ross. The year-long restoration project under the Ross Development Trust will see new foundations and waterworks, enabling the fountain to operate for the first time in years.

The Ross Fountain, Credit City of Edinburgh Council
photo : City of Edinburgh Council

Edinburgh’s Lord Provost, Frank Ross, said: “Edinburgh boasts statues and monuments at almost every turn. Yet, out of the 200 monuments in our care, the Ross Fountain stands out as one of the most timeless.

“Since being installed in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle in 1872, it has become one of the most recognisable features of Princes Street Gardens. We are very grateful to the support of the Ross Development Trust. Thanks to this project, Edinburgh can look forward to seeing the fountain back in Spring.”

The Ross Fountain, Edinburgh
photograph from Capital Collections, Credit Alexander Adam Inglis, 1884

The Ross development Trust is undertaking a series of projects in West Princes Street Gardens in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council, including the restoration of the Ross Fountain, refurbishment of the Gardener’s Cottage and a new Ross Pavilion.

David Ellis, Project Director for the Ross Development Trust, said: “As we prepare for public consultation on the Ross Pavilion designs, we are delighted to see restoration work begin on the fountain. We are keen to see the peace and tranquillity of the gardens, enjoyed by so many, enhanced by these improvements.”

Statue of Elsie, Ross Fountain:
Statue of Elsie, Ross Fountain
photo : City of Edinburgh Council

The conservation will be carried out by Industrial Heritage Consulting Limited, which worked with Lost Art Ltd in 2013 to restore the Grand Central Fountain in Paisley. Their engineers will temporarily remove the Fountain this summer to renovate the internal structure and return it to full working condition.

Further information of the Ross Development Trust and updates on the progress of the restoration will be available at: www.rdtrust.org.

28 Mar 2017

Ross Pavilion International Design Competition Shortlist

Ross Pavilion International Design Competition Shortlist for Emblematic Edinburgh Site

The Ross Development Trust in collaboration with the City of Edinburgh Council and Malcolm Reading Consultants announced the seven finalist teams who will proceed to the second stage of the Ross Pavilion International Design Competition.

Ross Pavilion Edinburgh site
photograph © Malcolm Reading Consultants / David Springford

Ross Bandstand Edinburgh
aerial view

Ross Bandstand Edinburgh Ross Bandstand
building: photos © Adrian Welch Sep 2006

Image of the existing Ross Bandstand in Princes St Gardens courtesy of make:
Edinburgh Bandstand

Adjacent is Princes Street Shopping and towering over the site to the south is Edinburgh Castle.

Team: make / Arup / Unique Events / Ian White Assocs / Thomas & Adamson:
Competition Organisers: CEC / SEEL

Related page: Morris & Steedman Edinburgh Tattoo Venue Proposal, also for this part of Princes St Gardens

Scottish Parliament

Quartermile

Scottish Gas HQ – Centrica

Comments / photos for the Ross Fountain Restoration Edinburgh Architecture page welcome