The Making of Classical Edinburgh: With Photographs by Edwin Smith

by A J Youngson, Edwin Smith (Illustrator), Colin Mclean (Preface by)

Overview

This famous study of the planning, financing and building of the New Town in Edinburgh brings to life one of the most remarkable urban expansion programmes ever undertaken. A. J. Youngson introduces the modern reader to the vigour of the planning debates, the fundraising schemes, the administrative and legislative infrastructure of planning, the construction of public buildings as poles of attraction for speculative building, and all the hopes, quarrels, victories and civic bankruptcy that went into this great experiment.

Superbly illustrated with photographs by acclaimed photographer Edwin Smith, along with a selection of contemporary images and a preface by Colin McLean, this book is a classic work of economic and social history, and a fascinating account of the shaping of one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781474448017
Publisher:	Edinburgh University Press
Publication date:	09/15/2019
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	480
Product dimensions:	6.77(w) x 8.98(h) x (d)
Lexile:	1430L (what's this?)

About the Author

A.J. Youngson was a Professor of Economic History at the University of Edinburgh, and an Emeritus Professor at the Australian National University. He was also the Chairman of the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland and published extensively about the economic development of British cities.

Table of Contents

Preface, by A.J. Youngson
Preface to the 1988 reprinted edition, by A.J. Youngson
Preface to the 2019 reprinted edition, by Colin McLean
I The 'Proposals' of 1752
II Economic background and local government
III Public Building before 1784
IV The New Town: Craig's plan
V Extensions southward
VI Public Works, 1800 – 30
VII Private development after 1800
VIII Social life
IX After 1830
Appendix; Notes; Index

Editorial Reviews

Professor Youngson’s handsomely produced and superbly illustrated book is undoubtedly the most important work on the history of modern Edinburgh to have appeared since Hugo Arnot’s celebrated history of 1779.

The Scottish Historical Review - N.T.Phillipson

The Making of Classical Edinburgh is everything a scholarly study should be. The text is clear, uncluttered and always illuminating, and James Craig's plans of the New Town are beautifully reproduced.

Scotland on Sunday

The 83 fine, full-page plates by Edwin Smith and 80 figures from prints and plans compel interest and often admiration and they build up, alike for our citizens or for distant readers, the visual images of "classical" Edinburgh, in gestation, development and to a great extent, completion.

Scottish Geographical Magazine - Arthur Geddes

A splendid piece of scholarship.

George Gordon

This beautiful book, a credit in every way to the author, photographer, printers and publisher, should be bought by everyone who professes to care for the arts, the history and the civilisation of Scotland.

The Herald

Absorbing, well-told, deeply researched story with near three-dimensional photographs by Edwin Smith.

The Sunday Times