Back of the White Horse Close, Near the Water-Gate. 1848.

This original antique hand coloured steel engraving depicts the back of the White Horse Close near the Water-Gate, Edinburgh — one of the most historically evocative closes in the entire Old Town — 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 courtyard, stonework, and sky to vivid life, creating a richly atmospheric image of one of Edinburgh’s most celebrated historic corners.

The White Horse Close is one of the finest surviving examples of a 17th-century Edinburgh close, its courtyard and galleries remarkably intact, and was for centuries the terminus of the coach road from London — the starting point of the journey south for generations of Edinburgh travellers, including, according to tradition, Bonnie Prince Charlie’s officers during the Jacobite rising of 1745.

The Water-Gate — also known as the Watergate — was the ancient gateway marking the boundary between the Canongate and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, adding further layers of royal and historic significance to this atmospheric corner of the Old Town. The print is on a thin paper which has been adhered to a thicker paper for publication.

Subscript: Lower Left: Drawn by D. Wilson. Lower Right: Engd by W. Forrest. Lower Center: Back of the White Horse Close. Near the Water-Gate.

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 84–85

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, including some creases in the thin paper on top, 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