The Book That Saved Edinburgh: Daniel Wilson’s Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time
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The Book That Saved Edinburgh: Daniel Wilson’s Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time
If you’ve ever bought an antique print of Edinburgh — or found yourself captivated by a beautifully detailed engraving of an old church, a cobbled close, or a long-demolished building — there’s a good chance it came from one of the most important books ever written about Scotland’s capital.
Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time, published in 1848 by Sir Daniel Wilson, is the reason so many of these images exist at all. And the story behind it is just as fascinating as the prints themselves.
Who Was Daniel Wilson?
Sir Daniel Wilson (1816–1892) was born in Edinburgh and grew up with a deep love of the city’s ancient streets and buildings. As a young man he trained as an artist — he even spent time in the studio of J.M.W. Turner, one of the greatest painters in British history — before turning his attention to archaeology and history.
In 1846 he became a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, and threw himself into a mission that was becoming increasingly urgent: documenting Edinburgh’s historic buildings before they disappeared forever.
The city was changing rapidly. The 19th century brought new roads, new developments, and a drive to modernise that meant ancient closes, medieval churches, and centuries-old tenements were being demolished at an alarming rate. Wilson was determined to preserve them — not in stone, but on paper.
A Book Like No Other
Published in two volumes by Hugh Paton of Adam Square, Edinburgh, Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time was unlike anything that had come before it. Wilson didn’t just write about the city’s history — he drew it.
Every illustration in the book was drawn by Wilson himself, then engraved by skilled craftsmen (most notably William Forrest) onto steel plates, producing prints of extraordinary detail and beauty. The result was a comprehensive visual record of Edinburgh’s Old Town, Leith, and surrounding areas — captured at precisely the moment so much of it was about to vanish.
The book covered everything: medieval churches, ancient closes and wynds, Holyrood Palace, the city’s famous landmarks, and quiet corners that most people walked past without a second glance. Wilson wrote about each subject with the passion of someone who genuinely feared it might be gone within a generation.
In many cases, he was right.
Why These Prints Matter Today
Many of the buildings depicted in Wilson’s engravings no longer exist. Blackfriar’s Wynd, ancient tenements along the Royal Mile, medieval chapels — all gone, surviving only in Wilson’s careful drawings.
That’s what makes original prints from Memorials of Edinburgh so special. They are not just beautiful objects. They are historical documents — windows into a city that has been transformed beyond recognition in the 175 years since Wilson walked its streets with his sketchbook.
For anyone with a connection to Edinburgh, Scotland, or Scottish heritage, owning one of these prints is owning a genuine piece of that history.
What to Look For
Original 1848 prints from Memorials of Edinburgh typically have the following features:
- The inscription below the image will read “Drawn by D. Wilson” on the lower left, the engraver’s name on the lower right (often “Eng. by William Forrest”), and “Published by Hugh Paton, Adam Square, Edinburgh” at the centre
- The paper is thin and aged, often with some foxing (small brown spots) and edge wear — all signs of authenticity
- The medium is steel engraving, which produces very fine, precise lines quite different from the softer look of an etching or lithograph
- The size is typically around 12 x 9 inches for the full sheet
A Gift With a Story
One of the things we love most about prints from *Memorials of Edinburgh* is that they make genuinely meaningful gifts. Unlike a print bought off the shelf, these come with a real story — a real artist, a real place, a real moment in history.
Whether you’re looking for a gift for someone with Scottish roots, a history lover, an art collector, or simply someone who appreciates something beautiful and rare, a print from Wilson’s Memorials is something they will treasure.
Browse our collection of original prints from Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time — each one a piece of Scotland’s history, ready to hang on your wall.