All About Edinburgh
St Andrew Square Edinburgh
Edinburgh
New Town Attractions
St Andrews Square is one of two Squares built to the original design of the New Town area in Edinburgh.
St Andrew Square
Edinburgh
St Andrew Square part of the original design of the new Town which was built between 1759 and 1835.
The gardens in St Andrew Square were completed in 1778, now with an outdoor licensed café, it is a great place to relax after a long hard day at the shops, before making your way home. The Bus Station, Rail station, Tram stop and Taxi Rank are all close by. St Andrews Square has many top restaurants, designer shops, hotels and serviced apartments.
Henry Dundas Monument
St Andrew Square Edinburgh
HENRY DUNDAS (1st VISCOUNT MELVILLE) 1742 – 1811 (pictured left)
'The Uncrowned King of Scotland’. The column in St Andrew Square is in his memory. Henry Dundas was born in Dalkeith, south east of Edinburgh into a family distinguished for its legal and political talent. Henry Dundas was educated at the High School of Edinburgh and then the University of Edinburgh. Henry Dundas was elected a Member of Parliament for Edinburgh. He was appointed Lord Advocate in 1777 and, Secretary of State for the Home Department in 1791. He was also Treasurer to the Navy (1782-1800). Dundas was elected Deputy Governor of the Bank of Scotland (1779) and Governor in (1790), the post he held until his death. He wielded enormous power throughout Britain and its dominions, hence his epithet: THE UNCROWNED KING OF SCOTLAND. He was also instrumental in having the slavery act slowed down by adding the word gradual to the act. On 23 Feb 1807 William Wilberforce finally had slavery made illegal, but it was a further 30 years before 'emancipation' of all the slaves in the British colonies.
Henry Dundas Statue
Henry Dundas was the last person to be impeached in the United Kingdom in 1806, for misappropriation of public money. Although acquitted, he never held public office again. Many places around the world have been named after Henry Dundas including the town of Dundas in southern Ontario Canada.
Dundas House
St Andrew Square Edinburgh
On the east side of the St Andrew Square stands the impressive mansion of Dundas House. Henry Dundas had this house built and was the home of Sir Lawrence Dundas in 1774, Dundas House became the head office of The Royal Bank of Scotland in 1825. The monument in the centre of the garden is of
Sir John Hope, 4th Earl of Hopetoun, colonel of the 92nd Gordon Highlanders.
David Hume’s House
St Andrew Square Edinburgh
David Hume lived at 21 South St David Street from 1771-1776 with a view of St Andrew Square. Located on the south west corner of the square.
Unfortunately, this is no longer in view as a development has replaced it. T.K. MAX
Edinburgh to Granton Railway
St Andrews Square Edinburgh
The trams on the East side of St Andrew Square run over the old railway route that took passengers and goods from the once named Canal Street Station (Waverley Station) to Granton Harbour. The track was on such a steep hill that it was pulled up the tracks by horses. Known as the Scotland Street Tunnel it opened in May of 1847 and closed in 1868 due to modernisation and other routes. The Entrance can still be seen at Scotland Street Park below Scotland Street.
SCOTLAND STREET TUNNEL
Multree's Hill Edinburgh
You will also find the entrance to Edinburgh's main bus station and Multrees Walk where you will find the designer shops. This area was built on an area previously called Multrees Hill before the new Town was built.
Lord Henry Brougham
Birthplace
House of Lord Brougham St Andrew Square Edinburgh
Lord Henry Brougham was born on the 19th September 1778 in St Andrew Square Edinburgh and died aged 89 in Cannes France. Henry Brougham was a prominent lawyer, writer and scientist and became famous in 1820 due to his successful defence of Queen Caroline in the legal case between the Queen and her husband King George IV who wanted to divorce her. Henry Brougham became Lord Chancellor in 1830 and was made Baron Brougham, a member of the Abolitionists, he wished to end slavery. In 1807 a bill in parliament saw an end to the slave trade, but not to slavery. He help to have slavery abolished altogether in 1833 with an Act of parliament. Henry Brougham was Lord Chancellor for 5 years before being replaced by Charles Pepys. In 1834 Lord Brougham fell in love with an area in France called Cannes a small fishing village. He built a house on a plot of land overlooking the sea and invited many wealthy and influential friends to visit, who in turn also built houses and the area became a wealthy and popular tourist destination. Circa 1860 a train station was opened which brought more visitors and the birth of Cannes France was laid. The people of Cannes erected a statue to Lard Brougham to honour what he had done for Cannes. He invented the Brougham Carriage and was elected Chancellor of Edinburgh University In 1859.
Lion Sculpture
St Andrews Square Gardens
The Lion Sculpture by Ronald Rae Fellow of the Royal Society of Sculptors, born in Ayr on the West coast of Scotland in 1946 he has hand carved many different animals one of which is on the promenade at Cramond. The large granite block that the Lion is sculpted from came from the quarry at Correnie Aberdeenshire. and has been in St Andrew’s Square Garden since 2010.
Douglas Hotel
St Andrew Square Edinburgh
The Douglas Hotel where royalty stayed and Walter Scott stayed on his return from Italy, 2 days prior to his death at Abbotsford, his house in Melrose in the Scottish Borders. Previously Dun’s Hotel built circa 1780 then changed to the Douglas circa 1800 the main Hotel in Edinburgh 34 and 35 St Andrew Square.
