Ancient Council House, Coal Hill, Leith. 1848.

This original antique hand coloured steel engraving depicts the Ancient Council House at Coal Hill, Leith — one of the oldest surviving civic buildings in Scotland’s principal port — drawn by Sir Daniel Wilson and engraved by William Forrest for his landmark work Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time, published in 1848.

What makes this print exceptionally rare and desirable is its beautiful original hand colouring — the vast majority of prints from this series were issued in black and white, and hand coloured examples are considerably scarcer and more sought after by collectors. The colouring brings the ancient stonework, sky, and street scene to vivid life, transforming what is already a fine steel engraving into a genuinely striking work of art.

The Ancient Council House at Coal Hill served as the seat of Leith’s local government for centuries, a reminder that Leith was for much of its history an entirely separate burgh from Edinburgh, with its own civic identity, trade, and institutions.

Wilson’s documentation of this important but little-known building is characteristically thorough and historically significant. The print is on a thin paper which has been adhered to a thicker paper for publication.

Subscript: Lower Left: D. Wilson. Lower Right: W. Forrest. Lower Center: Ancient Council House, Coal Hill, Leith.

Author: Sir Daniel Wilson, F. R. S. S. A. (1816–1892)

Publication: Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time. By Daniel Wilson, F. S. S. A. Acting Secretary to the Society of the Antiquaries of Scotland.

Volume: 2

Publisher: Hugh Paton / Simpkin, Marshall, & Co.

Place of Publication: Adam Square, Edinburgh / London

Date: 1848

Artist: Sir Daniel Wilson, F. R. S. S. A. (1816–1892)

Engraver: William Forrest

Page Number: Between pages 140–141

Paper Dimensions: 9 ⅞ x 12 ¼ inches

Medium: Steel Engraving

Language: English

Coloured: Hand coloured

Condition: The print is in great condition and beautifully coloured, with some very minor wear across the print and around the edges, as can be seen. The print is on a thin paper which has been adhered to a thicker paper for publication, as can be seen.

Reference: Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time, HathiTrust Digital Library