Approximate Location Map
Large Map »
Latitude: 55.9768 / 55°58'36"N
Longitude: -3.1855 / 3°11'7"W
OS Eastings: 326118
OS Northings: 676618
OS Grid: NT261766
Mapcode National: GBR 8Q4.7Y
Mapcode Global: WH6SM.11DD
Plus Code: 9C7RXRG7+PR
Entry Name: Lodges, Leith Fort, North Fort Street, Leith, Edinburgh
Listing Name: North Fort Street, Leith Fort Lodges, Gateway and Boundary Wall
Listing Date: 14 December 1970
Category: B
Source: Historic Scotland
Source ID: 364293
Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB27221
Building Class: Cultural
Also known as: Edinburgh, Leith, North Fort Street, Leith Fort, Lodges
ID on this website: 200364293
Location: Edinburgh
County: Edinburgh
Town: Edinburgh
Electoral Ward: Leith
Traditional County: Midlothian
Tagged with: Gatehouse
Circa 1810. Cream sandstone.
GUARDHOUSES: pair of matching 2-storey Palladian lodges aligned to flank gateway framing forecourt (within fort); rubble walls, droved ashlar to front, polished ashlar dressings. 2-storey with 2-bay open-pedimented end gables flanked by single storey bays; inner bays with with round-headed openings and pilasters, outer bays plainer; oculi on rear elevations. Pedimented 4-bay Roman Doric loggias to court, with entablature and blocking course, centre bays pedimented.
GATEWAY: ashlar, with base course and coping. Pair of square piers flanked by round-headed pedestrian arches with impost stones. Outer posts of arches with Ordnance Survey benchmarks.
BOUNDARY WALL: ashlar coped rubble wall to North Fort Street and N side of site.
The fort was built to protect the harbour, containing a battery of
9 guns, to the initial plans of James Craig, starting in 1779. It was later developed as the HQ of the Royal Artillery in Scotland, considerable enlargement having taken place during the Napoleonic Wars to house French Prisoners. Most of it was demolished in the 1960s to make way for the housing schemes now in its place. The guardhouses are part of the later enlargement at the beginning of the 19th century, not appearing on the map of 1804, but clearly shown by 1817.
External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.
Other nearby listed buildings
