Georgian Edinburgh – A Historical Walking Tour

Course Times & Enrolment

This course is currently unavailable.

Course Summary

Join historian, Dr Helen Rapport on a walking tour of Georgian Edinburgh’s New Town, which allowed the wealthier Edinburghers an escape from the cramped and smelly living of the Old Town by offering houses and private gardens. Find out why life was not as easy and as grand as first promised.

Meeting Point: Melville Monument, St Andrews Square. Please assemble at least 5 minutes before the start of the tour. Address: 42 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2AD

Walking Distance covered (approximate): Less than 2.5 km

Parking and transport: Parking spaces in Edinburgh can be difficult to find and may need to be paid for. If possible and safe, we recommend taking public transport or taking walking to the meeting point. Information on local parking available can be found on the City of Edinburgh Council website. https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/parking-spaces

Please note:

There may be occasional seating available during the walking tour, but it is not guaranteed.

Course Details

Pre-requisites for enrolment

N/A

Special Information

Students should bring all-weather clothes: Edinburgh’s weather can be very changeable. Students should bring water and a snack, should they require it.

Content of Course

Students will learn about Georgian Edinburgh’s first New Town, which heralded a new beginning. In 1766 James Craig, entered a competition to design a New Town to ease overcrowding in the Old Town and won. His plan was for St Andrew Square and Charlotte Square, Princes Street, George Street and Queen Street. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995, The Georgian New Town is known for its elegant architecture, crescents, wide streets and private gardens. It allowed the wealthier Edinburghers an escape from the cramped and smelly living of the Old Town by offering houses and gardens in the English style. It was intended as a showcase of post-Union Scotland and as the second city of Britain. Yet vanity projects meant the city eventually declared itself bankrupt in 1833. For the new folk of the New Town, life was not as easy and as grand as first promised.

Teaching method(s)

Teaching will be outdoors during a two hour walking tour.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this taster course, students should be able to:

Describe significant historical events within the specified period of history.

Identify places of historical interest and how they are linked to this period of history.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email COL@ed.ac.uk or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.