All About Edinburgh
North Bridge
Edinburgh New Town
North Bridge Edinburgh
Connecting Old with New
The Original North Bridge was founded in 1763, opening in 1772 to link the Edinburgh Old Town with the New Town. Due to the high volume of people and transport that used the bridge it was widened in 1876, it was then demolished in 1896 to make way for the present North Bridge which was opened in 1897. The main rail lines run underneath the bridge. At the foot of the bridge is the Balmoral Hotel and Princes Street and at the top are the Scotsman and Carlton Hotels and the famous Royal Mile.
The statue on the East side of the bridge is dedicated to the King’s Own Scottish Borderers who fought in battles around the world. Behind the statue can be seen the Calton Hill, with the Martyrs Obelisk, Governor’s House, Nelson Monument and High School all visible. Must be near 1pm as the ball is going up the mast on the Nelson Monument.
General Post Office Building
The General Post Office building stands on an area Shakespeare Square at the east side of the North Bridge.
This image is before the North Bridge was built.
General Post Office in Edinburgh was built on the site of the Theatre Royal which opened in 1769 and closed in 1859.
The foundation stone was laid by Prince Albert in October 1861, and the building opened in May 1866.
It closed as the Post Office in 1995.
The North British Station Hotel (Balmoral Hotel)
The North British Station Hotel (The Balmoral) opened for Business in 1902 and is positioned next to the Waverley Station between Waverley Bridge and the North Bridge, which gives direct access to Edinburgh’s old town, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle and The Palace of Holyrood House (Holyrood Palace). Directly behind the hotel is Calton Hill. The Hotel is at the east end of Princes Street, one of the most famous and picturesque streets in the world. The clock has historically been set 5 minutes fast giving rail travellers the illusion that they are late for their train.
The site it stands on is where the first ever hotel in Edinburgh stood.
James Young Simpson
Duncan Flockhart & Co Plaque operated a pharmacy from a position at the foot of the North Bridge on part of the site now occupied by the Balmoral Hotel. Duncan Flockhart was to make the chloroform that James Young Simpson would use on his successful experiments on pain relief in 1847 which changed the way medical operations would be carried out. The plaque shows where the pharmacy was sited in 1847.
FOUNDATION STONE
NORTH BRIDGE BRONZE PLAQUE
The King’s Own Scottish Borderers
Memorial Monument
On the 19th March 1689 David Leslie Earl of Leven gathered a regiment of soldiers within two hours to defend the City of Edinburgh. For Leven’s regiment’s gallantry in defending Edinburgh and later at the Battle of Killiecrankie with a resounding victory for the Jacobite’s lead by James VII of Scotland and II of England, the magistrates of Edinburgh gave the unique right of recruiting by the beat of the drum, marching through the Edinburgh streets with drums beating and flags flying and bayonets fixed. The regiment was later named The King’s Own Scottish Borderers.
It is now part of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
Bronze Plaques
The Old North Bridge Plaque
is an illustration of the original North Bridge of the First North Bridge
The North Bridge Plaque is of the details of when the foundation stone and the present bridge opened.
Scotsman Steps
The Scotsman Steps is a covered ornate pedestrian staircase for quick access to Waverley Station from the North Bridge. Named after the Scotsman building as it was next to the Scotsman's front doors. Built as a public staircase. It opened in 1902.
Scotsman Newspaper Building
Built for the Scotsman Newspaper and opened in 1904 as the headquarters for The Scotsman newspaper, with printing presses and news offices. Previously in a purpose built building in Cockburn Street built in 1860.
North Bridge Arcade
The North Bridge Arcade opened in 1900 as part of the larger development that integrated the North Bridge with the Scotsman building rare surviving example of a Victorian covered arcade in Scotland, Fictional Figure above the North Bridge entrance to the Arcade, attributed to William Birnie Rhind, is located above the arcade entrance. Figure of Peace: A statue representing "Peace" sits in an aedicule on the north elevation, crafted by Frederick Schenck. There are also statues of the Roman god Mercury as part of the arcade's decorative scheme.
Night and Day: These figures, based on Michelangelo's famous sculptures, were created by Joseph Hayes.
