Edinburgh's historic New Town exemplifies Georgian town planning and garnered praise from early visitors. In the late 1790s, English tourist Robert Heron noted the city’s remarkable buildings, asserting that they rivaled the finest in Europe. The New Town emerged from the vision of prominent citizens led by Lord Provost George Drummond, who gained Parliament's approval to expand the city beyond the Nor’ Loch. A design competition in 1766 was won by 23-year-old architect James Craig, whose effective grid-iron layout featured three parallel streets and a grand square named George Street after King George III. The first house's foundation was laid in November 1767, but development progressed slowly, with Charlotte Square's construction beginning in 1792. Despite some commercial encroachment on Princes Street, much of the New Town remains intact, earning UNESCO World Heritage status in 1995. This guidebook serves both visitors and expatriate Scots interested in Edinburgh's history, highlighting local figures like George Drummond, Sir James Young Simpson, Sir Walter Scott, and Sir John Sinclair. It also features eccentric characters and notable visitors, including Charles Dickens and Queen Victoria, while recounting significant events like George IV's royal visit, planned by Sir Walter Scott.
ERIC MELVIN Book order (chronological)
