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All the United Kingdom Scotland Edinburgh Coade Stone Columns
AO Edited

Coade Stone Columns

It's a mystery how these curious columns wound up in an Edinburgh suburb.

Edinburgh, Scotland

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Coade Stone Columns.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Coade Stone Columns.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Dalmeny House, South Queensferry   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
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Coade Stone Columns.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Coade Stone Columns.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Coade Stone Columns.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Coade Stone Columns.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Dalmeny House, South Queensferry   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Dalmeny House, South Queensferry   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
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Situated along the promenade of a seaside village on the outskirts of Edinburgh are three pillars made from a malleable artificial stone called Coade, which is named after its inventor Eleanor Coade. They are molded rather than carved. As the material is highly weather-resistant, the pillars practically look brand new.

Originally, the columns stood for nearly 90 years in a garden at Argyll House, on nearby Hope Lane. How these particular stones ended up in this original placement, in the early part of the 1800s, remains a bit of mystery. There is some indication that they were intended to be chimney stacks, as the designs of the lion, fleur-de-lys, crown, and rose are similar to those found at Dalmeny House near South Queensferry.

After spending several decades in storage, the pillars were moved to their current location in the mid-2000s. A team of expert stone conservators, led by Graciela Ainsworth, restored them to their current pristine condition. A local potter, Alison Robinson, created the crown tops for two of the columns.

The current location of the pillars once used to be a bandstand, then a public park, and finally a children's wading pool. Over time, the site became run-down, so it was decided to have the area renovated.

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Architecture Architectural Oddities Parks Columns

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The pillars are in a public park at the end of John Street. They're accessible 24/7.

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SEANETTA

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linkogecko, marilouisa

  • linkogecko
  • marilouisa

Published

August 15, 2019

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  • http://www.portobelloheritagetrust.co.uk/page44.html
Coade Stone Columns
68 Promenade
Edinburgh, Scotland, EH15 2DX
United Kingdom
55.952154, -3.104044
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