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Edinburgh Black Watch

The Black Watch Boer War memorial stands on the Mound, at the junction with Market Street, in Edinburgh overlooking Princes Street Gardens and the National Gallery and looking towards the Castle. The memorial plinth is made of Red Granite with a bronze figure of a Black Watch Serviceman in the uniform of 1899 on top. On the side of the plinth are found bas-relief battle scenes, inscriptions and names.

In 2008 War Memorials Trust contributed £2,500 towards a conservation project. Works included the cleaning, re-patination and re-waxing of the bronze elements; cleaning of the stonework and re-pointing with lime mortar where required; and replacement of the missing rifle barrels with new pieces identical to the originals. All work would be done in-situ to minimise potential problems.

The memorial was sculpted by William Birnie Rhind RSA who was commissioned by The Black Watch. The land upon which the memorial stands was donated by the Bank of Scotland in 1906 and the memorial was unveiled on 27 June 1910.  

The memorial is listed at Grade B and stands within a Conservation Area. It remembers 213 who lost their lives in the South African War whilst serving with the Black Watch. The inscription on the memorial reads:

To the memory of
Officers
Non-Commissioned Officers and Men
of 
The Black Watch
who fell in the South African War
1899-1902

The names of the Fallen are also listed. These are split with the North face remembering those who died of disease while those on the South face having died in action or of wounds.

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM2312
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 44665

If you have a concern about this memorial please contact the Trust on conservation@warmemorials.org

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