CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh

Portobello Pottery Kilns

(10 posts)
  • Started 12 years ago by Wilmington's Cow
  • Latest reply from Cyclingmollie

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  1. From Maureen Child's February report:

    "To their great credit, Portobello Heritage Trust consistently pressed to have our historic pottery kilns at Bridge Street rebuilt properly. The previous contractors made a mess of it. The Council and architects are in the process of dealing with the aftermath of that debacle and seeking specialist heritage bricklayers, who are a rare breed nowadays. Together, the three local Councillors have made sure that the Council set enough money aside in its budget next year to restore the kilns to their former glory. There is a legal obligation on the Council to do this as the kilns are Scheduled Ancient Monument. They are the only ones that still exist in Scotland."

    Posted 12 years ago #
  2. chdot
    Admin

    "There is a legal obligation on the Council to do this"

    If only that worked more often!

    Posted 12 years ago #
  3. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I know where they can get some good, original, local bricks.

    I've never found an Abercorn brick. Perhaps they were stamped with something else. I've always assumed that Edinburgh bricks only came from Wallyford.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  4. gembo
    Member

    I dug a cylindrical Portobello pot out of the bottom of my garden [former riverbed and Balerno Railway tip]. A marvellous item much loved by me but everyone else in the house seriously underwhelmed

    Posted 12 years ago #
  5. That could be worth a bit Gembs - Scottish pottery is sought after...

    Posted 12 years ago #
  6. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    I count four chimneys, nine bottle kilns (one used as a helter skelter) and a gasometer in this picture - ticks a few CCE boxes.

    And I've got a touch of the vapours from this one.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  7. gembo
    Member

    anth - some suggestion as much as 20 quid [very plain, shaker type jar for who knows what). Dug up broken ones too. I think thrown as a vessel for foodstuff or fertiliser? Actually I don't know what but as chucked with the other bottles etc definitely utilitarian rather than art but that is also my old Maoist taste.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  8. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I count four chimneys Zooming in I counted 14!

    From the style of dress I think this pre-dates the power station being there, so the squat chimneys in the background I assume are the Westbank Tile and Brick work to the east of Kings Road.

    The Abercorn Brickworks and Bottle Works were to the south of porty High Street so may be somewhere in the distance of the chimneyfest.

    On the left of the aerial photo you can see a small reservoir which was to hold water for a millwheel.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  9. Arellcat
    Moderator

    If you want kilns (and railway bridges, funfairs, and boats) the book to buy is Old Edinburgh from Above.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  10. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    I'll look out for that Arellcat. Are there any other parts of Edinburgh that have changed as much as that Porty sea-front?

    This view of the Honest Toun has undergone quite a transformation:


    Approach to Musselburgh Railway Station by east_lothian_museums, on Flickr

    Posted 12 years ago #

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