The Making of Classical Edinburgh: With Photographs by Edwin Smith

About the Book

This famous study of the planning, financing and building of the New Town in Edinburgh brings to life one of the most remarkable urban expansion programmes ever undertaken. A. J. Youngson brings to life the vigour of the planning debates, the fundraising schemes, the administrative and legislative infrastructure of planning, the construction of public buildings as poles of attraction for speculative building, and all the hopes, quarrels, victories and civic bankruptcy that went into this great experiment.
Superbly illustrated with photographs by acclaimed photographer Edwin Smith, along with a selection of contemporary images and a preface by Colin McLean, this book is a classic work of economic and social history, and a fascinating account of the shaping of one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Table of Contents:
Preface, by A.J. YoungsonPreface to the 1988 reprinted edition, by A.J. YoungsonPreface to the 2019 reprinted edition, by Colin McLeanI The ‘Proposals’ of 1752II Economic background and local governmentIII Public Building before 1784IV The New Town: Craig’s planV Extensions southwardVI Public Works, 1800 – 30VII Private development after 1800VIII Social lifeIX After 1830Appendix; Notes; Index

About the Author :
A.J. Youngson was a Professor of Economic History at the University of Edinburgh, and an Emeritus Professor at the Australian National University. He was also the Chairman of the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland and published extensively about the economic development of British cities. Edwin Smith (1912-71) was one of the eminent architectural photographers of his time and his reflective, black-and-white images appeared in many books. His photographs for the original edition of 'The Making of Classical Edinburgh' quickly became recognised as the defining images of the City in the mid-twentieth century. Colin McLean is an architectural photographer whose work has been exhibited in the Royal Scottish Academy, in Dundee Contemporary Arts and in Edinburgh City Art Centre, as well as appearing in publications and the media. His photography has been recognised with the award of a distinction by the Royal Photographic Society.

Review :
The Making of Classical Edinburgh is everything a scholarly study should be. The text is clear, uncluttered and always illuminating, and James Craig's plans of the New Town are beautifully reproduced. The 83 fine, full-page plates by Edwin Smith and 80 figures from prints and plans compel interest and often admiration and they build up, alike for our citizens or for distant readers, the visual images of "classical" Edinburgh, in gestation, development and to a great extent, completion. This beautiful book, a credit in every way to the author, photographer, printers and publisher, should be bought by everyone who professes to care for the arts, the history and the civilisation of Scotland. Professor Youngson’s handsomely produced and superbly illustrated book is undoubtedly the most important work on the history of modern Edinburgh to have appeared since Hugo Arnot’s celebrated history of 1779. Absorbing, well-told, deeply researched story with near three-dimensional photographs by Edwin Smith. A splendid piece of scholarship.