History in Structure

Watch Tower, Newington Old Burial Ground, 31 East Preston Street, Edinburgh

A Category B Listed Building in Edinburgh, Edinburgh

We don't have any photos of this building yet. Why don't you be the first to send us one?

Upload Photo »

Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

Coordinates

Latitude: 55.939 / 55°56'20"N

Longitude: -3.176 / 3°10'33"W

OS Eastings: 326635

OS Northings: 672391

OS Grid: NT266723

Mapcode National: GBR 8SL.5J

Mapcode Global: WH6SM.5ZVH

Plus Code: 9C7RWRQF+HH

Entry Name: Watch Tower, Newington Old Burial Ground, 31 East Preston Street, Edinburgh

Listing Name: 31 East Preston Street and Dalkeith Road, Newington Old Burial Ground, Including Boundary Walls and Watchtower

Listing Date: 14 December 1970

Category: B

Source: Historic Scotland

Source ID: 365305

Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB27934

Building Class: Cultural

ID on this website: 200365305

Location: Edinburgh

County: Edinburgh

Town: Edinburgh

Electoral Ward: Southside/Newington

Traditional County: Midlothian

Tagged with: Watchtower

Find accommodation in
Leith

Description

Laid out 1820. L-plan burial ground. Main entrance on East Preston Street; original cast-iron carriage gates and tall droved ashlar gatepiers with pyramidal caps; pedestrian gateway and cast-iron gate adjoining to right. High surrounding rubble walls; railings to NE corner with East Preston Street and Dalkeith Road;

Wall monuments and free-standing stones, predominantly Greek Revival; Tudor style burial enclosures to external walls; decorative enclosures to N of watchtower containing graves of John Scott (died 1829) and Hugh Handyside (died 1833); iron railing mortsafe enclosure to S wall to grave of Rev. William Limont (died 1833).

WATCH TOWER: dated 1820; 2-stage, circular-plan, corbelled and castellated watchtower with external staircase set in re-entrant angle of boundary walls; doorway at ground; 2 single windows and further doorway at 1st floor.

Statement of Interest

Opened on 4 December 1820 as an extension to Buccleuch burial ground which had become overcrowded. The high walls and watchtower (which housed an armed guard) were considered essential precautions against the resurrectionists. Notable internments; many leading Edinburgh clergymen and professionals along with Jean Lorimer ('Chloris'), subject of several of Burns' songs.

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

Other nearby listed buildings

BritishListedBuildings.co.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact BritishListedBuildings.co.uk for any queries related to any individual listed building, planning permission related to listed buildings or the listing process itself.

British Listed Buildings is a Good Stuff website.