The Edinburgh that Isn’t (or Wasn’t) – a digital reflection on an evolving city

Join the Cockburn Association in our series of videos as we explore our archives to reveal what remains, and what has been lost, of Edinburgh’s unique cultural heritage. Imagine an inner ring motorway cutting through Edinburgh’s Old Town, an elevated motorway across the Meadows, or a Grassmarket without its iconic…

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An exterior shot of Moubray House, where the Cockburn Association is based. It is a tall, narrow 5 storey building with muntin windows and steps leading up to the first floor. A shop is on the ground floor.
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Join the Cockburn Association in our series of videos as we explore our archives to reveal what remains, and what has been lost, of Edinburgh’s unique cultural heritage. Imagine an inner ring motorway cutting through Edinburgh’s Old Town, an elevated motorway across the Meadows, or a Grassmarket without its iconic historic buildings. This series will also explore developments and alterations that have taken place over time, utilising old sketches from James Drummond RSA and Bruce Homes’ sketchbooks capturing Old Edinburgh to compare and contrast the city we see today with what existed in the past.

Also within this theme, we will explore the stories and folklore of the Old Town and its history, exploring what is accurate and what “Isn’t”.

The first video, an introduction to the series, is now available to view at https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJ8y24boACa/ (Instagram account not required) and at https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XltGJPPlg_4 More content to follow soon!

Organiser

The Cockburn Association

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Founded in 1875, the Cockburn Association is the country’s oldest independent conservation charity, working to protect, preserve, and promote the civic amenity and built and natural heritage of Edinburgh. The first major campaign by the Association was to resist the removal of trees at Bruntsfield Links. The Cockburn has campaigned for the retention and improvement of Edinburgh’s open and green spaces ever since. Many of the Association’s campaigns have required considerable patience and determination.

In 1877 the Association campaigned to bring land along the Water of Leith into public use and some 98 years later we saw success with the opening of the Water of Leith Walkway. The Association was also instrumental in opposing some of the damaging plans for inner city highways and Edinburgh, as a result, has been left unsullied by inner city motorways.

In 2025, the Association celebrates its 150th year anniversary.

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