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Edinburgh, Canongate, Callander House And Whitefoord House

Commemorative Stone (20th Century), Foundry (19th Century), House (18th Century), Veterans House (20th Century)

Site Name Edinburgh, Canongate, Callander House And Whitefoord House

Classification Commemorative Stone (20th Century), Foundry (19th Century), House (18th Century), Veterans House (20th Century)

Alternative Name(s) Callender House; Scottish Naval And Military Veterans Residence; Calton Road; Whiteford House; Mclaren Memorial

Canmore ID 132435

Site Number NT27SE 2744

NGR NT 26631 73924

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/132435

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Copyright and database right 2024.

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Digital Images

Administrative Areas

  • Council Edinburgh, City Of
  • Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
  • Former Region Lothian
  • Former District City Of Edinburgh
  • Former County Midlothian

Activities

Project (1997)

The Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (http://www.pmsa.org.uk/) set up a National Recording Project in 1997 with the aim of making a survey of public monuments and sculpture in Britain ranging from medieval monuments to the most contemporary works. Information from the Edinburgh project was added to the RCAHMS database in October 2010 and again in 2012.

The PMSA (Public Monuments and Sculpture Association) Edinburgh Sculpture Project has been supported by Eastern Photocolour, Edinburgh College of Art, the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust, Historic Scotland, the Hope Scott Trust, The Old Edinburgh Club, the Pilgrim Trust, the RCAHMS, and the Scottish Archive Network.

Field Visit (24 September 1999)

Railings facing the Canongate, decorated with two depictions of the accountant James Balfour: by day, seated at a desk on which is a ledger and three bags of money. In his right hand he holds a quill. The other portrait shows the other side of the man: as Jamie Balfour he is shown dancing, with a mug of ale in his right hand and his mouth open.

Lower railings are decorated with a thistle and a rose.

Above the inscription on the plaque is a relief of the section of the Canongate referred to.

Inspected By : D. King

Inscriptions : Above seated accountant: JAS. BALFOUR ACCOUNTANT

Below dancing man: JAMIE BALFOUR

On plaque: JENNY . HA'S . CHANGE . HOUSE / ON . THIS . SITE . STOOD . A WELL . KNOWN . TAVERN / WHICH . WAS . THE . RENDEZVOUS . OF . THE . POETS / GAY . &. ALLAN . RAMSAY . AND . OTHER . CONGENIAL / SPIRITS . OF . THE . PERIOD

Signatures : None

Information from Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA Work Ref : EDIN0549)

Watching Brief (10 December 2001)

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken during selected works associated with the construction of an extension to the veteran’s home at Whitefoord House, Canongate, Edinburgh. Excavation revealed structural remains which survived up to 1.15m high. The site can be divided into two phases; the earliest is represented by a late 17th-mid 18th Century building. The later phase is represented by a small building built onto the south wall of the earlier structure. A large sandstone wall bonded with lime mortar, situated to the east, formed a close with the north-south oriented wall of the earlier building. This later structure dates to the mid-late 19th Century.

R Murray, Headland Archaeology 2001

Excavation (27 March 2003 - 2 April 2003)

Headland Archaeology Ltd was commissioned by Mottram Patrick Partnership, on behalf of the Scottish Veterans Housing Association, to undertake an archaeological watching brief on ground-breaking works associated with refurbishment works and new build at Whitefoord House, Canongate, Edinburgh. The work was carried out according to a Project Design agreed with the City of Edinburgh Council Archaeology Service. The site is situated on the northern side of Canongate towards the foot of the Royal Mile (NGR NT 2665 7395). Whitefoord House, built in 1769, is currently used as an army veteran’s home. Two visits were made to the site on 27th March and 2nd April 2003.

Area 1

A trench measuring 9m by 4.6m was excavated to the west of the Manager’s House.

Excavation revealed up to 1.35m of overburden comprising demolition rubble and various, mixed levelling deposits. In the southern part of the trench this material overlay 0.50m of dark brown clayey silt, interpreted as garden soil. No finds were retrieved from the deposits. The maximum depth of the trench was 1.80m. Natural subsoil was not reached.

Area 2

Excavations in largely made ground close up against the exterior wall of a recently constructed building parallel and facing onto Calton Road exposed a short, 2 m long section through c 3 m of deposits. This area had been the subject of a watching brief in 2002. The section showed a build up of c 1.5 m of modern overburden sealed a c 1 m dump of crushed mortar and sandstone rubble of probable Early Modern date. This in turn sealed a build up of late medieval garden soil rich in animal bone, oyster shell and from which a sherd of green glazed pottery was recovered. This deposit was at least 0.5 m deep. Natural sub-soil was not reached.

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