Apprentices from St Mary’s Cathedral Workshop have been working to restore the masonry on the roof of Edinburgh’s City Observatory on Calton Hill. Designed by William Henry Playfair in 1818, the City Observatory is the birthplace of astronomy and timekeeping in Edinburgh.
Playfair was born on this day, 15 July, 1790, and would go on to design many of Edinburgh’s iconic New Town buildings, including the National Gallery of Scotland and the Royal Scottish Academy.
Acting Foreman Jordan Kirk (right) with apprentice Ben Fairgrieve,Lewis Docker and
Henry Edwards restore the masonry on the roof of the Observatory.
The Observatory has been redundant and on the Buildings at Risk Register for a number of years. Early in 2018, art organisation Collective will re-open the site as their new home. The building will be freely open to the public for the first time in its history.
Photos by Neil Hanna Photography
www.neilhannaphotography.co.uk
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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
