By the mid of 17th century, there were too many residents of Edinburgh live comfortably into this ancient town. The buildings in the Royal Mile, within the city walls, were high with pitiable sanitation and narrow roads. This is the time when a competition was held to design a new town.
James Craig, 22, won this competition. His design was revised the following year and building commenced in 1767. The main attraction of his design was a new street, George Street. George Street was to be famous and widest street in the New Town. Six years later, the North Bridge opened, and in 1779 work commenced on developing the Earthen Mound to link the Ancient and New Towns of Edinburgh.
Craig proposed few more streets in New Town – Queen Street and Princes Street adjoining George Street on the north and south, and Castle Street, Frederick Street, and Hanover Street.
In order to encourage Ancient Town residents to move to New Town, a ₤20 prize was offered to the first person to build their home in the New Town. Amazingly it was won by George Young who laid his foundation stone in George Street in 1867. The street design around George Street today is still the same as displayed in Craig’s plot drawn up in the 1760s. Later more streets have been built between 1802 and 1822 following further plans, to extend the New Town further to North, West and East.
James Craig, 22, won this competition. His design was revised the following year and building commenced in 1767. The main attraction of his design was a new street, George Street. George Street was to be famous and widest street in the New Town. Six years later, the North Bridge opened, and in 1779 work commenced on developing the Earthen Mound to link the Ancient and New Towns of Edinburgh.
Craig proposed few more streets in New Town – Queen Street and Princes Street adjoining George Street on the north and south, and Castle Street, Frederick Street, and Hanover Street.
In order to encourage Ancient Town residents to move to New Town, a ₤20 prize was offered to the first person to build their home in the New Town. Amazingly it was won by George Young who laid his foundation stone in George Street in 1867. The street design around George Street today is still the same as displayed in Craig’s plot drawn up in the 1760s. Later more streets have been built between 1802 and 1822 following further plans, to extend the New Town further to North, West and East.
