Mardale Crescent - Looking towards Holy Corner, Morningside, Edinburgh

Mardale Crescent Photo

Thank you to Al Lorentzen for allowing me to reproduce this photo that he took in 1960.

Al wrote:

1960

"My wife, June, and I lived in a first floor flat directly across from Napier Castle in 1960. This photo was probably taken around March or April that year.

The castle was a forlorn looking affair, situated in the middle of a dirt lot, looked very spooky at night. I understand that there's a college on this site now.

Notice how few cars are in this photo. I bet it's hard to find a parking space here now."

Al Lorentzen, Inverness, Illinois, USA: September 30 + October 8, 2010

Looking towards Bruntsfield LInks

I agree with Al's comment about the parking. Now it's not easy to find a parking space - and when you do find one, you have to pay to park!

When I first came to Edinburgh in 1963, before the days of parking meters, there was usually no problem in finding a place to park on Princes Street - or even in the middle of the platform at Princes Street Station!

Looking towards Bruntsfield LInks

I believe this photo looks to the NE, and that the tall steeple on the skyline is Barclay Church *** on the edge of Bruntsfield Links.

Mardale Crescent is in the foreground with a Morris Minor parked on the left and an older car parked almost opposite it. The roads beyond the junction are Rochester Terrace (left) and Blantyre Terrace (straight ahead).

Peter Stubbs: October 8, 2010

*** In fact I was wrong. Thank you to those below for pointing this out.

Reply

Brian Clapp

Edinburgh

Brian Clapp wrote:

"Thank you for publishing Al Lorentzen's photo of Mardale Crescent. I believe the spire in the background belongs to Christ Church rather than the Barclay Church."

Brian Clapp, Edinburgh: October 12, 2010

Agreed

Thanks Brian. I visited the street today and agree. The church in the background of this picture is indeed the Scottish Episcopal Church, Christ Church, at Holy Corner, Morningside. It's on the corner of Morningside Road and Colinton Road.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: October 15, 2010

Reply

Ian Taylor

South Glasgow, Scotland

Ian Taylor also wrote at about the same time as Brian above.

Ian wrote.

"Surely, the church spire in the background must be one of the churches at Holy Corner."

Ian Taylor

Agreed

Thanks Ian. I agree; the church is the Scottish Episcopalian Church at Holy Corner, Morningside.

Ian Taylor, South Glasgow, Scotland: October 13, 2010

Reply

Peter Stubbs

Edinburgh

I took a photograph in Mardale Crescent today.

I have reproduced Al's 1960 photo of the street below, and followed it with my 2010 photo (in monochrome, then in colour). My photo was 50 years later and taken from street level, but comparisons can still be made between the two photos:

- Surprisingly, both photos have a similar number of cars in the streets.

- The hedge on the left and trees on the right have grown.

- The tenements on the left and in the distance are virtually unchanged.

- Napier University buildings have been built on the right.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: October 15, 2010