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James Craig (architect)
Encyclopedia
James Craig was a Scottish
architect
. His brief career was concentrated almost entirely in Edinburgh
, and he is remembered primarily for his layout of the first Edinburgh New Town
.
, where Craig was educated. As well as his date of birth, the records show he entered the school in 1748, and left in 1755. The 1744 date must therefore be incorrect, as it would mean he started school aged four, and left aged eleven. The baptism year, although not the date, has been shown to be in error, as 13 November fell on a Tuesday in 1739 also.
in Edinburgh. He was schooled at George Watson's, which had been recently set up to educate the sons of "deceased and indigent" merchants, suggesting that his family were of little wealth. Craig was apprenticed to mason Patrick Jamieson in 1755, and by 1764 was a qualified mason of the Incorporation of St Mary's Chapel, the guild
of masons and wrights in Edinburgh. He does not appear to have had any formal architectural training, and his only known work prior to the New Town is a drawing, dating from 1763, for the proposed new North Bridge
, a scheme that was built by William Mylne a few years later.
, to ease overcrowding in the medieval Royal Burgh
of Edinburgh, had been suggested since the late 17th century. However, it was not until the middle of the 18th century that Lord Provost
George Drummond
succeeded in extending the town boundary to encompass the fields to the north of the Nor Loch
. A competition was held in January 1766, in which six plans were entered. Craig's was considered the best, and he was awarded the prize; the Freedom of the City
and a gold medal. However, his design was not initially considered suitable for construction, and was reviewed by a committee, including the architects John Adam
and William Mylne
, before Craig drew up the final version. This plan was presented to King George III
in 1767.
The plan comprised a simple rectilinear arrangement of three parallel main streets (Princes Street
, George Street
and Queen Street) with a square at each end (St Andrew Square and Charlotte Square
). Craig later amended his plan to include a large circus at the centre of the development, although this idea was never adopted. Construction began with St Andrew's Square in the east, and continued until after Craig's death, with Charlotte Square being completed in 1800. Craig was responsible only for the layout of the streets, and had no design input into the appearance of the new buildings.
shopping and office complex. In 1786 he prepared and published a Plan for Improving the City of Edinburgh, which included proposals for remodelling the Old Town, with squares and crescents along the Royal Mile
. None of these ideas were taken up, however. One of his last projects was a plan for the new development of Blythswood
, then planned for Glasgow
. While nothing was built until the 19th century, Craig may be responsible for the strict grid layout of the area.
His significant buildings included the Physicians' Hall (1773–1779) in George Street, for the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
. The cost of the building led to disagreements between the College and Craig, and, once built, the accommodation was found to be inconvenient. It was demolished in 1843, to be replaced by a banking hall by William Henry Playfair
. In 1775 Craig prepared plans for the new City Observatory
on Calton Hill
. The gothic
tower, now known as Observatory House, was the only part to be completed before money ran out in 1777. The rest was finally finished in 1792, although this too was replaced by Playfair, in 1818.
From 1777-1781 Craig was engaged on refurbishments at St. Giles' Cathedral
, and also undertook works at the Edinburgh Botanical Gardens
, then located on Leith Walk
. He was appointed as contractor, in 1780, to build a new fort at Leith
. He also had design control over the building elevations, but not over technical aspects of the fort. The main gate and guard house remain, although the rest of the fort was demolished in the 1950s. Two monuments by Craig also survive; the Fullerton monument in St Michael's churchyard, Inveresk
, and a 100 feet (30.5 m) obelisk at Killearn
commemorating the writer George Buchanan
(1506–1582).
. Due to complex bans on monuments in the churchyard (not lifted until the late 19th century) the grave was only marked in the 1930s, then being done as part of half a dozen new memorials to notable persons by the Saltire Society
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
. His brief career was concentrated almost entirely in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, and he is remembered primarily for his layout of the first Edinburgh New Town
New Town, Edinburgh
The New Town is a central area of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is often considered to be a masterpiece of city planning, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
.
Date of birth
Craig's birth date is traditionally given as 1744, as his baptism is recorded in parish register as Tuesday 13 November 1744. However, more recent research has shown that his birth date was 31 October 1739, as recorded in the registers of George Watson's HospitalGeorge Watson's College
George Watson's College, known informally as Watson's, is a co-educational independent day school in Scotland, situated on Colinton Road, in the Merchiston area of Edinburgh. It was first established as a hospital school in 1741, became a day school in 1871 and was merged with its sister school...
, where Craig was educated. As well as his date of birth, the records show he entered the school in 1748, and left in 1755. The 1744 date must therefore be incorrect, as it would mean he started school aged four, and left aged eleven. The baptism year, although not the date, has been shown to be in error, as 13 November fell on a Tuesday in 1739 also.
Early life
Craig was the son of William Craig, a merchant, and Mary Thomson, sister of the poet James Thomson (1700–1748). William was the son of Robert Craig, merchant and Dean of GuildDean of Guild
A Dean of Guild, under Scots law, was a burgh magistrate who, in later years, had the care of buildings.Originally, the post was held by the head of the Guild brethren of Scottish towns, and dates back to the 12th century. Later, the phrase Dean of Guild also described the courts set up in the 14th...
in Edinburgh. He was schooled at George Watson's, which had been recently set up to educate the sons of "deceased and indigent" merchants, suggesting that his family were of little wealth. Craig was apprenticed to mason Patrick Jamieson in 1755, and by 1764 was a qualified mason of the Incorporation of St Mary's Chapel, the guild
Guild
A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The earliest types of guild were formed as confraternities of workers. They were organized in a manner something between a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society...
of masons and wrights in Edinburgh. He does not appear to have had any formal architectural training, and his only known work prior to the New Town is a drawing, dating from 1763, for the proposed new North Bridge
North Bridge, Edinburgh
North Bridge is a road bridge and street in Edinburgh linking the High Street with Princes Street, and the New Town with the Old. The current bridge was built between 1894–97. A previous North Bridge, built from 1763–72, stood until 1896....
, a scheme that was built by William Mylne a few years later.
Edinburgh New Town
Plans for a New TownNew Town, Edinburgh
The New Town is a central area of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is often considered to be a masterpiece of city planning, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
, to ease overcrowding in the medieval Royal Burgh
Royal burgh
A royal burgh was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished in 1975, the term is still used in many of the former burghs....
of Edinburgh, had been suggested since the late 17th century. However, it was not until the middle of the 18th century that Lord Provost
Lord Provost
A Lord Provost is the figurative and ceremonial head of one of the principal cities of Scotland. Four cities, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, have the right to appoint a Lord Provost instead of a provost...
George Drummond
George Drummond
George Drummond was accountant-general of excise in Scotland and a local politician, elected Lord Provost of Edinburgh a number of times between 1725 and 1764....
succeeded in extending the town boundary to encompass the fields to the north of the Nor Loch
Nor Loch
The Nor Loch, also known as the Nor' Loch and the North Loch, was a loch formerly in Edinburgh, Scotland, in the area now occupied by Princes Street Gardens, which lies between the Royal Mile and Princes Street.- Geological formation :...
. A competition was held in January 1766, in which six plans were entered. Craig's was considered the best, and he was awarded the prize; the Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
and a gold medal. However, his design was not initially considered suitable for construction, and was reviewed by a committee, including the architects John Adam
John Adam (architect)
John Adam was a Scottish architect. Born in Linktown of Abbotshall, now part of Kirkcaldy, Fife, he was the eldest son of architect and entrepreneur William Adam. His younger brothers Robert and James Adam also became architects.The Adam family moved to Edinburgh in 1728, as William Adam's career...
and William Mylne
William Mylne
William Mylne was a Scottish architect and engineer. He is best known as the builder of the North Bridge, which links the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the younger brother of Robert Mylne, architect and designer of Blackfriars Bridge in London.-Early life:William was descended...
, before Craig drew up the final version. This plan was presented to King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
in 1767.
The plan comprised a simple rectilinear arrangement of three parallel main streets (Princes Street
Princes Street
Princes Street is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, and its main shopping street. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1 mile from Lothian Road in the west to Leith Street in the east. The street is mostly closed to private...
, George Street
George Street, Edinburgh
Situated to the north of Princes Street, George Street is a major street in the centre of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Laid out from 1767 as part of James Craig's plan for the New Town, George Street was named in honour of King George III.-Geography:...
and Queen Street) with a square at each end (St Andrew Square and Charlotte Square
Charlotte Square
Charlotte Square is a city square in Edinburgh, Scotland, part of the New Town, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The square is located at the west end of George Street, intended to mirror St. Andrew Square in the east.-History:Initially named St...
). Craig later amended his plan to include a large circus at the centre of the development, although this idea was never adopted. Construction began with St Andrew's Square in the east, and continued until after Craig's death, with Charlotte Square being completed in 1800. Craig was responsible only for the layout of the streets, and had no design input into the appearance of the new buildings.
Other works
Craig never fully capitalised on his early success, and struggled to maintain a steady supply of work in later years, often finding himself in financial difficulty. He continued to prepare layouts for new development, including St James Square, to the east of the New Town, in 1773, and Merchant Street, south of the Old Town, in 1774. In both these developments, he was also responsible for the facades of the buildings, although little remains of his work. One side of St James Square still stands, although the rest was demolished in the 1950s to make way for the St. James CentreSt. James Centre
The St. James Centre is a shopping centre located in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was designed by Ian Burke & Martin in 1964.Due to its brutalist architecture, it is one of Edinburgh's most unloved buildings, but remains a popular and busy shopping location....
shopping and office complex. In 1786 he prepared and published a Plan for Improving the City of Edinburgh, which included proposals for remodelling the Old Town, with squares and crescents along the Royal Mile
Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is a succession of streets which form the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland.As the name suggests, the Royal Mile is approximately one Scots mile long, and runs between two foci of history in Scotland, from Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Castle...
. None of these ideas were taken up, however. One of his last projects was a plan for the new development of Blythswood
Blythswood Hill
Blythswood Hill is an area of Glasgow, Scotland.It lies to the immediate west of the city centre and as the name suggests rises to a plateau before dipping again towards the west end area of Woodlands....
, then planned for Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. While nothing was built until the 19th century, Craig may be responsible for the strict grid layout of the area.
His significant buildings included the Physicians' Hall (1773–1779) in George Street, for the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh was established in the 17th century. While the RCPE is based in Edinburgh, it is by no means just a Scottish professional body - more than half of its 7,700 Fellows, Members, Associates and Affiliates live and practice medicine outside Scotland, in 86...
. The cost of the building led to disagreements between the College and Craig, and, once built, the accommodation was found to be inconvenient. It was demolished in 1843, to be replaced by a banking hall by William Henry Playfair
William Henry Playfair
William Henry Playfair FRSE was one of the greatest Scottish architects of the 19th century, designer of many of Edinburgh's neo-classical landmarks in the New Town....
. In 1775 Craig prepared plans for the new City Observatory
City Observatory, Edinburgh
The City Observatory is an astronomical observatory on Calton Hill in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is also known as the Calton Hill Observatory....
on Calton Hill
Calton Hill, Edinburgh
Calton Hill is a hill in central Edinburgh, Scotland, just to the east of the New Town. Views of, and from, the hill are often used in photographs and paintings of the city....
. The gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
tower, now known as Observatory House, was the only part to be completed before money ran out in 1777. The rest was finally finished in 1792, although this too was replaced by Playfair, in 1818.
From 1777-1781 Craig was engaged on refurbishments at St. Giles' Cathedral
St. Giles' Cathedral
St Giles' Cathedral, more properly termed the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is the principal place of worship of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh. Its distinctive crown steeple is a prominent feature of the city skyline, at about a third of the way down the Royal Mile which runs from the Castle to...
, and also undertook works at the Edinburgh Botanical Gardens
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a scientific centre for the study of plants, their diversity and conservation, as well as a popular tourist attraction. Originally founded in 1670 as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants, today it occupies four sites across Scotland — Edinburgh,...
, then located on Leith Walk
Leith Walk
Leith Walk is one of the longest streets in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stretches from The Foot Of Leith Walk at the junction of Great Junction Street and Constitution Street to the junction with London Road, it then links to the east end of Princes Street via Leith Street...
. He was appointed as contractor, in 1780, to build a new fort at Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
. He also had design control over the building elevations, but not over technical aspects of the fort. The main gate and guard house remain, although the rest of the fort was demolished in the 1950s. Two monuments by Craig also survive; the Fullerton monument in St Michael's churchyard, Inveresk
Inveresk
Inveresk is a civil parish and was formerly a village that now forms the southern part of Musselburgh. It is situated on slightly elevated ground at the south of Musselburgh in East Lothian, Scotland...
, and a 100 feet (30.5 m) obelisk at Killearn
Killearn
Killearn is a small village of approximately 1700 people in the Stirling council area of Scotland. The village name stems from the Gaelic Cill Earnain, meaning Ernan's Church; the Ernan in question presumably being one of the canonised individuals of that name who were both relatives and followers...
commemorating the writer George Buchanan
George Buchanan
George Buchanan may refer to:*George Buchanan , Scottish humanist*Sir George Buchanan , Scottish soldier during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms*Sir George Buchanan , Chief Medical Officer...
(1506–1582).
Grave
Craig died in Edinburgh in 1795. He is buried in the northmost section of Greyfriars KirkyardGreyfriars Kirkyard
Greyfriars Kirkyard is the graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located at the southern edge of the Old Town, adjacent to George Heriot's School. Burials have been taking place since the late 16th century, and a number of notable Edinburgh residents are interred at...
. Due to complex bans on monuments in the churchyard (not lifted until the late 19th century) the grave was only marked in the 1930s, then being done as part of half a dozen new memorials to notable persons by the Saltire Society
Saltire Society
The Saltire Society was established in 1936 to encourage everything that might improve the quality of life in Scotland and restore the country to its proper place as a creative force in European civilisation....
.