Nostalgia: A flying look at the city from above

Published on Saturday 17 October 2009 11:15

MANY areas of the Capital have changed dramatically over the decades, and what better way to demonstrate this than in a series of stunning aerial photographs spanning from the 1920s through to the present day.

Above Scotland, a new book from the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, features aerial images of the country, including several taken in the Edinburgh area.

The main picture shown here, taken in 1941, shows a packed mixture of housing, factories and parks spreading outwards from 19th century Edinburgh through the Gorgie area of the city. Also featured are Tynecastle and Murrayfield stadiums.

Co-author and archaeologist, David Cowley, says: "The outline of the city is still the same now but if you look closely at the photograph there is a steam train with a little puff of smoke coming out. That is something that you don't see anymore."

Among the other photographs is an image showing the Forth Rail Bridge jutting out over the estuary to meet North Queensferry.

Taken in 1941, the unusual view shows the bridge as a thin line, but there is something missing from the picture – the Forth Road Bridge.

Mr Cowley, 43, says: "Anybody who goes across the railway bridge now will find it really difficult to picture it without the road bridge being there, because they are so familiar with seeing the two bridges."

Another photograph taken in the 1920s shows St John's Episcopal Church and St Cuthbert's Church at the west end of Princes Street, with trams and horses and carts crossing the road junction.

Mr Cowley adds: "It's a nice irony that around 90 years after that photograph was taken, we are getting the trams back. Some of the buildings in the photograph have changed and there are lots of allotments in behind St John's Church in the picture."

One image shows aircraft carriers, minesweepers and ship-towed targets advancing through the Firth of Forth at Rosyth Royal Naval Dockyard in 1948, while another photograph taken in the 1920s features the historic Edinburgh Castle, George Heriot's School and the Meadows.

Mr Cowley says: "Some things have changed almost beyond recognition in Edinburgh, but one of the things that has stayed the same is the city's fantastic historic core – the New Town, the Old Town, the castle."

Above Scotland will be launched at Waterstone's on George Street, on Tuesday at 7:30pm.

www.rcahms.gov.uk/