1
Moray Place, New Town
The Moray Estate development, designed by James Gillespie Graham, is where Edinburgh's New Town moves up an architectural gear to achieve a stylish super-grandeur. In trying to attract feuars, Lord Moray was in direct competition with William Playfair's alternative scheme on the Calton Hill; and proved more successful. Playfair's scheme was abandoned after its initial phase. Graham's plan comprised the semi-circular Randolph Crescent, the oval of Ainslie Place and the 12-sided, polygonal Moray Place, with interconnecting streets; the whole being linked to the first and second New Towns. The terrace which runs along the north side of the estate, skirting the Water of Leith, is said to be the longest continuous row of houses of unified design in Europe.
"At present a gentleman of the best order in Edinburgh, say a judge of the Court of Session, finds it necessary to have a self-contained house in Moray Place, or some equally splendid district, for which he pays a rent of about L.160 (the very feu duty, perhaps, costing L.35 annually,) and which consists of four flats, containing the following apartments—on the sunk floor, a complete suite of culinary apartments, with accommodation for servants—on second floor, dining-room in front, business-room or library, and a bed-room behind—on third floor, drawing-room occupying the whole front of the house, with two large apartments behind, generally occupied as bed-room and dressing-room, upon occasion, by means of large doorways—fourth flat, a nursery and a number of good bed-rooms, besides which there is perhaps a suite of small rooms immediately under the slates. The furniture of such a house would not cost less than fifteen hundred pounds, but more generally is purchased at the rate of two thousand." -- W. Chambers, Reekiana 1833
Image: © kim traynor
Taken: 8 Jul 2010
0.02 miles
2
Moray Place
Image: © Richard Webb
Taken: 28 Sep 2023
0.02 miles
3
Forres Street, New Town
Street connecting the later housing development on the former Moray Estate with Queen Street in the first New Town.
Image: © kim traynor
Taken: 8 Jul 2010
0.03 miles
4
Darnaway Street
Image: © Richard Webb
Taken: 4 Oct 2020
0.03 miles
5
Forres Street frontages
Designed by James Gillespie Graham in 1824 as part of the New Town. Note that despite the slope of the street this is nominally a symmetrical facade, the two end buildings being identical but at different levels. Listed Category A.
Image: © Alan Murray-Rust
Taken: 7 Jun 2013
0.03 miles
6
Blocked windows, Darnaway Street
Image: © Richard Webb
Taken: 4 Oct 2020
0.04 miles
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Darnaway Street at its junction with Moray Place
Image: © David Smith
Taken: 3 Sep 2012
0.04 miles
8
Plaque commemorating William Graham
The plaque, which is mounted on the wall of 1 Moray Place reads:
WILLIAM GRAHAM LLD EDUCATIONIST
LIVED HERE 1856-1871
PIONEER OF SECONDARY EDUCATION FOR GIRLS
PRINCIPAL FOUNDER OF
THE SCOTTISH INSTITUTION FOR
THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG LADIES
1834-1870
Image: © Richard Sutcliffe
Taken: 21 Jun 2019
0.04 miles
9
Doorway and steps, 1 Moray Place, Edinburgh
The plaque to the right of the door commemorates William Graham LLD [https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6193919].
Image: © Richard Sutcliffe
Taken: 21 Jun 2019
0.04 miles
10
Albyn Place, Edinburgh
A block of Georgian town houses on Queen Street just west of the gardens.
Image: © Jim Barton
Taken: 22 Aug 2016
0.04 miles