Ancient Houses, Castle Hill. Taken Down. 1845.

This original antique steel engraving depicts the Ancient Houses of Castle Hill, Edinburgh — a group of historic buildings that stood at the very heart of the Old Town, in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, before their demolition in 1845.

Drawn by Sir Daniel Wilson just before the buildings were torn down and engraved by T. Steuart for his landmark work Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time, published in 1848, this print is a genuinely poignant historical document — a record of buildings that no longer exist, preserved forever on paper at the very moment of their disappearance.

Castle Hill was one of the oldest and most storied parts of Edinburgh, and the loss of these ancient houses was part of the sweeping program of demolition that threatened to erase the medieval city entirely. Wilson’s urgent mission to document Edinburgh’s vanishing architecture before it was lost gives this print a particular historical resonance.

This is a rare Proof impression, pulled before the main print run and of superior quality and rarity to a standard example — making it an especially desirable piece for collectors of Scottish history and Edinburgh topography.

Subscript: Lower Left: D. Wilson. Lower Right: T. Steuart. Lower Center: Published by Hugh Paton, Adam Square, Edinburgh. Proof.

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: 1

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: T. Steuart

Page Number: Between pages 156–157

Paper Dimensions: 9 ⅜ x 12 inches

Medium: Steel Engraving

Impression: Proof

Language: English

Coloured: Black and white

Condition: The print is in great condition with some minor spots of foxing across the print and some wear around the edges, as can be seen.

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