Playfair's Monument

Heritage listing

Category A Date Added 19/04/1966 Local Authority Edinburgh Planning Authority Edinburgh Burgh Edinburgh NGR NT 26227 74162 Coordinates 326227, 674162 — William Henry Playfair, 1825-6. Square-plan Greek Doric memorial. Polished ashlar. Projecting base plinth (to sections outside enclosure only) supporting podium with projecting base course chamfered to upper section; moulded cornice; tetrastyle blind colonnade of engaged fluted Greek Doric columns; entablature with metopes ornamented with laurel wreaths, pyramidal stone roof. S ELEVATION: inscribed on podium: 'Joanni Playfair Amicorum Pietas, Desideriis Icta Fidelibus, Quo Ipse Loco Templum Uranaie Suae, Olim Dicaverat, Hoc Monumentum, Posuit MDCCCXXVI, Nat VI IDUS MART MDCCXLVIII, OBIT XIV KAL SEXTIL MDCCCXIX'. — This elegant monument, designed by one of Scotland's most distinguished architects, is important for its architectural quality and its prominent position on Calton Hill. It is also significant as a memorial to one of the most eminent figures of Edinburgh's Enlightenment (the two men were closely related; John Playfair was William H. Playfair's uncle). Professor John Playfair (1748-1819) was Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at Edinburgh University. He was also the first President of the Astronomical Society. The monument was first proposed in 1822, when the town council received an application from a Committee of Subscribers to build a monument on a site next to the observatory. This was approved on the condition that the monument be built within the next two years. However, it was not until 1825 that Playfair's design was constructed. In 1828 Playfair's observatory compound wall was built, incorporating the Playfair monument at the SE corner. It seems likely that W. Playfair had always intended t

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.