Melville Monument Photos, St Andrew Square Sculpture, Date, Architect, History, Images

Melville Monument Edinburgh : Architecture

New Town Statue, St Andrew Square, at the east end of George Street, Edinburgh, Scotland

Date built: 1823

Monument design: William Burn, architect

Dundas statue design: Francis Leggatt Chantrey ; Carving: Robert Forrest

The Melville Monument is 41m high and sits centrally to St Andrew Square, dominating it and views along George Street.

Melville Monument Melville Monument Edinburgh
photos © Adrian Welch

Melville Monument Edinburgh

The Melville Monument is a fluted column atop which is the stone statue of Henry Dundas, Viscount Melville. Viscount Melville (or Lord Melville) was an aristocratic 18th century politician, but more importantly the King’s Chancellor, and has been described as the most powerful Scot of his day.

Designed by William Burn, the column is modelled after Trajan’s Column in Rome. Robert Stevenson provided additional engineering advice during construction.

The column is topped by a 4.2 m (14 ft) tall statue of Dundas designed by Francis Leggatt Chantrey and carved by Robert Forrest. The total height of the monument is about 45 m (150 ft). It is one of Edinburgh’s most prominent landmarks.

Robert Stevenson recommended strengthening the foundations and constructing the shaft from solid blocks rather than rubble infill as Burn had proposed. Despite these criticisms and controversies over Dundas’ legacy, Connie Byrom assesses most contemporary reactions to the column’s appearance to be positive.

Location: St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, Midlothian, southeast Scotland, UK

St Andrew Square Building Designs

St Andrew Square Property Designs – recent architectural selection below:

St Andrew Square also includes the Royal Bank of Scotland HQ, built to house Sir Laurence Dundas and Bank of Scotland by David Bryce.
Bank of Scotland Edinburgh
image © Adrian Welch

Adjacent Building: Scottish Provident Building Building, St Andrew Square

Edinburgh New Town
Edinburgh New Town
photo © Adrian Welch

St Andrew Square by Basil Spence
St Andrew Square
photograph © Adrian Welch

George Street Edinburgh properties
Melville Monument photo © Adrian Welch 2006

Jenners

Edinburgh Walking Tours

Scottish Capital Building Designs

Scottish Capital Property Designs – recent architectural selection below:

Edinburgh Home Demonstrator Project
Greendykes net zero affordable housing
image courtesy of EHDP
Edinburgh Home Demonstrator Project

National Monument Edinburgh
Scottish National Monument
photograph © Adrian Welch

Duguld Stewart Monument
Duguld Stewart Monument
photo © Adrian Welch

Nelson’s Monument
Nelson's Monument
image © Adrian Welch

Comments / photos for the Melville Monument Edinburgh St Andrew Square page welcome