Lost Edinburgh [Paperback]

Traces the city's vanished buildings, exploring their destruction over centuries due to conflict, neglect, and urban development.From mean beginnings  wretched accommodation, no comfortable houses, no soft beds, visiting French knights complained in 1341  the city of Edinburgh went on to become one of the architectural wonders of the world. But over the centuries many of its fine buildings have gone. Although invasion and civil strife played their part, some buildings simply collapsed of old age and neglect. Others were swept away in the improvements of the nineteenth century; yet more fell in the developers swathe of destruction in the twentieth century as shifting patterns of social habits, industry, housing and road systems demanded change on a massive scale. Few buildings were immune as much of the Old Towns medieval heritage was destroyed, Georgian squares attacked, Princes Street ruined, old tenements razed in huge slum clearances, and once familiar and much-loved landmarks disappeared.In this informative and stimulating book, Hamish Coghill sets out to trace many of Edinburghs lost buildings  from imposing city centre edifices to domestic dwellings  and to find out why they were doomed. Lavishly illustrated, Lost Edinburgh is a fascinating insight into a cityscape that has been constantly reinvented over the years, and which continues to develop in the most unexpected and dramatic ways in the twenty-first century.The buildings which stood in the way of what was deemed progress are the heritage of Lost Edinburgh. In this informative and stimulating book. Hamish Coghill sets out to trace many of the lost buildings and find out why they were doomed. Lavishly illustrated, Lost Edinburgh is a fascinating insight into an ever-changing cityscape. Lost Edinburgh is the latest addition to a first-class series of books from Birlinn... detailing the literal and deliberate destruction of the very fabric of our heritage.[an] admirably sensible and fascinating lSW