From the Archive - Illustrated plan by James Craig
The records and archives of Scottish Canals contain a rich collection of maps, plans, ledgers, photographs, correspondence and objects. We thought it would be fun to share some unseen gems.Â
Our first item is this beautifully illustrated plan. The plan is from 1790 and was designed by James Craig, a well-known Scottish architect.Â
Craig was known mainly for his work in Edinburgh, his hometown. The layout of the Edinburgh New Town is credited to him and the building of this area based on his plans began in 1767. Throughout his career he proposed several plans for different parts of Edinburgh to improve conditions and even suggested putting squares and crescents along the Royal Mile.Â
In Glasgow, he prepared several plans for locations including the Trongate in the 1780s, Blythswood estate and Port Dundas in the 1790s, which our plan shows. The plan contains not only the layout for the area but the elevations for the types of buildings which would make up the estate, from housing, a church and most importantly the Collection and Custom Houses. Both of which sit conveniently at one end of the Canal Basin.Â
Many of his plans either did not come to fruition or were built in the 19th century. Despite this, Craig is recognised for his influence in design of both Edinburgh and Glasgow.Â
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