Edinburgh Engravings - Edinburgh New Town - Register House and The Royal High School

A School

The Royal High School in Regent Road, the Royal Entrance to Edinburgh, was designed by Thomas Hamilton. It was built in 1829 and continued to be used as a school until 1968. The school then moved to Barnton in the western suburbs of Edinburgh.

A Scottish Parliament?

After the pupils moved out, this building was one of three sites considered as a home for the new Scottish Parliament - the others being Leith Docks and Holyrood. The decision was to build a new Parliament building at Holyrood, Edinburgh.

A Scottish National Photography Centre?

More recently [early 2002], it has been suggested that the building would be a suitable site to house and display a permanent Photographic Collection for Scotland. This idea is being pursued.

The school, in Regent Road, lies immediately below, and to the south of Calton Hill, very close to Rock House, the studio used by Hill & Adamson for 4 years from 1843.

In fact, on of Robert Adamson's photographs of the Royal High School is dated 17 May 1843 - one day before the Disruption of the Church of Scotland, recorded in Hill & Adamsons' calotypes, as a basis for a large painting by DO Hill.

Michael Shea, spokesman for the Scottish National Photographic Centre, announced today [10 October 2002] that a £50,000 donation from a secret benefactor has been received to help to fund a feasibility study for this project. [The Feasibility Study should be completed by end-2002.]

This gift was warmly welcomed by Timothy Clifford, director of National Galleries of Scotland, arts impresario, Richard Demarco, Martin Hulse, director of the Edinburgh civic trust, the Cockburn Association and others. [Evening News: 10 October 2002, P27]

SNPC Chief Executive and his team are continuing to pursue the feasibility of this project. Please click here for further details.