The Edinburgh Film Guild (EFG) is a film society based in Edinburgh , Scotland . Founded in 1929, it is notable as the oldest continuously running film society in the world.
67-472: The Edinburgh Film Guild is a community organization dedicated to promoting and showcasing independent and international films. The guild has a long history of organizing film festivals, screenings, and educational events, and has played a vital role in bringing cinema of all genres to the people of Edinburgh and the surrounding area. Over the years, the Film Guild has adapted and evolved, always striving to bring
134-490: A Laird's house , and as the city of Edinburgh grew, and John Byres became city Treasurer and Bailie , it became an early example of a Burgher's city mansion. The house is still standing as of the 21st century as the centre of the West End district. For the history and development of the rest of New Town see: New Town, Edinburgh . In 1806, Shandwick Place was developed as a western extension of New Town's Princes Street, to
201-625: A concert venue, would open in 1914 also straddling the Old Town, Tolcross and West End. The Caley Picture House meanwhile opened in 1923, and though it closed in 1984, now being occupied by a Wetherspoons pub of the same name, the West End maintained a connection to cinema with the opening of the Edinburgh Filmhouse in 1979 in Bryce's old church. Access to the South West End from Shandwick Place
268-505: A cultural department, a courses department and a media library. It also hosts the Education officer for Scotland. The Auld Alliance , which is the beginning of the friendship between Scotland and France against England was signed in 1295. In 1942, the General de Gaulle said about this alliance it was the "oldest alliance in the world". Founded in 1946 by René Massigli , ambassador of France to
335-517: A strong sense of community and inclusivity. As a community-based organization, the Guild has a long history of working with local schools and community groups to bring film screenings and educational events to underserved areas in the community. The Guild is committed to making film accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances. Though pre-dated by the original (London) Film Society, founded five years earlier, it has outlasted it, with
402-561: Is Learmonth House, designed by architect James Simpson . It was designed in 1891 for Arthur Sanderson, the famous whisky distiller. In 1925 it was purchased to be the Headquarters of 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force . The South West End - south of Shandwick Place, and across from Kings Stable Road to what is now Morrison Street - was once known as the Kings Garden due to its position against Edinburgh Castle . By
469-670: Is a cultural centre promoting French language and French culture in Edinburgh and in Scotland and part of the wider Institut Français network around the world. It operates alongside the Institut français du Royaume-Uni in London and is administered by the French Foreign Ministry . It is co-located with Edinburgh's French consulate on the city's Royal Mile. The Institute itself comprises
536-516: Is a rare and fine example of Gillespie Graham's Georgian work. Stafford Street itself was a joint development between the Erskine and Walker Estates. This has led to some confusion over who was responsible for the design, Robert Brown (Walker's architect) or Gillespie Graham (Erskine's architect). Experts believe it was Brown, as the architecture is simpler, while Gillespie Graham was known for his grand, and often more expensive, works. Gillespie Graham
603-665: Is also involved in the Edinburgh cultural life and is a partner of the Cameo, Edinburgh and hosts the office of the French Film festival UK. The Media Library organises activities for kids in French. L'Oreille Musicale , workshop about French music is new from 2011. On November edition, l'Oreille musicale invited the Breton band Santa Cruz to speak about their musical tastes and influences. The library
670-519: Is as of 2022 a block of high end apartments). The gaps this left were filled in during the Victorian era, and later 1960s/70s with different priorities in mind. In recent years this has led to the assessment that these buildings - predominantly infrastructure and office space - are unsympathetic in terms of style, scale and massing with the rest of the area. These buildings, while overlooking the streets at ground floor level, do not provide activity and hence
737-500: Is bordered to the north by the Stockbridge , Dean Village , and Ravelston districts, Tollcross and Fountainbridge districts to the south, and West Coates , Haymarket and Murrayfield to the West. In 1615 John Byres the city Treasurer built Easter Coates House to the west of the city. The house had a truly huge estate, stretching to St Cuthbert's Church . The house was originally
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#1732852608225804-586: Is contiguous with the rest of New Town and is accordingly included in the New Town Conservation Area . As can be inferred therefore, this area of the city contains many buildings of great architectural beauty, primarily long rows and crescents of Georgian terraced houses . The West End also incorporates many of the New Town Gardens , a heritage designation since 2001. The district is one of Edinburgh's most affluent areas, and includes many of
871-994: Is open all week days and access is free. By contrast, only the French Institute members can borrow documents. The media library contains over 10.000 documents, mainly in French, about a lot of different aspects of France and French culture. You can find documents about literature, art, history, geography, humanities and children's literature. A lot of references book are available, like dictionaries, encyclopaedias and travel guides. The novel collection contain many novels by Scottish authors translated in French (e.g. Robert Louis Stevenson , Ian Rankin and Val McDermid ). You can read or borrow newspapers like: Libération , Le Monde , Le Point , general-interest magazines: ELLE , Les Inrockuptibles and more specialised magazines like Beaux-Arts and Positif . The CD & DVD shelves contain 1500 CDs (audio-books and music) and almost 1000 films and documentaries. Every term, about 500 students come to
938-458: Is via the Lothian Road, which was built to give easy access from the west end and Princes Street to as far down as Fountainbridge and The Meadows . Shandwick Place originally comprised a terrace of 19th-century palace-fronted tenements by James Tait. By the late 19th century however Shandwick Place was redeveloped by a number of private developments, around the same time as the construction of
1005-544: The Dean Bridge by raising ground levels to create a level platform for building. Following the success of Clarendon Crescent, further plans were drawn up for the flanking streets, which were to be called Oxford Terrace and Cambridge Terrace, after Britain's then leading universities. This development became slowed due to a dispute concerned with the steep slope next to the Dean Bridge where Cambridge Terrace would be built. At
1072-464: The New Town Gardens . These included the 1860s Rothesay Terrace by Peddie and Kinnear , and the 1870s Eglinton, Glencairn, Grosvenor and Lansdowne Crescents by John Chesser . Palmerston Place forms a junction between the older Georgian West End and the newer Victorian Extension. It extends into Douglas Gardens, developed in the 1890s and bounding the Waters of Leith. In 1881 a grand 56 metre campanile
1139-481: The Presbyterian Church of Scotland . Work began on the cathedral in 1873 under the supervision of The Walker Trust and opened in 1879. It was named St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral . The Walker's funds did not cover the cost of all three spires. The two front spires were not added until 1917. The Walker Trustees also received the office of White Rod, to be granted to the serving Bishop of Edinburgh, who holds
1206-742: The Secretary of State for Scotland , until the office was moved to the Queen Elizabeth House building in the Old Town. Prior to the UK's Brexit vote the European Commission had their European Commission Representation in Scotland at 9 Alva Street in the West End. The office was closed and the flag taken down in 2019. Around 2019, the City of Edinburgh Council began to hold public consultations on improving
1273-736: The avant-garde and take the longer and harder way of the Russians and more purposive users of the cinema. But it was the Edinburgh Film Guild which completed the movement - as the London Film Society did not - and saw the infinite variety of a Film Society's obligations to all categories of the medium". From 1980 until 2022, the EFG was based in the Filmhouse Cinema in Lothian Road, Edinburgh, where it has its clubrooms, offices and cinema. Since
1340-572: The 1400s it was known as Orchard Field. A significant part of this land was purchased towards the end of the 18th century; half by the Grindlay brothers, tanners on King's Stable Road, and the remaining half by the Merchant Company . A patchwork of estates soon developed between Castle Rock and the Haymarket which would form the south of the West End. Most of the South West End was developed later than
1407-710: The Albert Gallery was built on Shandwick Place, styled as the Albert Institute of the Fine Arts . The institute was intended to promote the encouragement of fine art in general, and contemporary Scottish art in particular. Today it is used as offices. In 1984 the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art opened at its present site, Modern One on Belford Road to the west of the West End Village. In March 1999,
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#17328526082251474-601: The Brown plan Melville Street would form the centrepiece of the new Georgian West End Village, extending directly from the western facing side of West Register House and Randolph Place . The street would be accessed to the south at Shandwick Place, from Coates Crescent by Walker Street, which would itself be intersected by William Street to create a Georgian grid layout, with both roads named after William Walker. Construction began in 1813 on Coates Crescent. Brown also developed Atholl Crescent which faces Coates Crescent. Melville Street
1541-432: The Film Guild include people of all ages and backgrounds, from students and young professionals to retirees and older film lovers. They may be avid fans of cinema, academics and filmmakers. In addition to its regular membership, the Film Guild may also attract visitors and film lovers from outside the local area, who are interested in experiencing the unique programming and events offered by the organization. The Guild has
1608-554: The Film Society having ceased operation in 1939. The EFG is also of note for having established the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 1947. According to Scottish film theorist and documentarian John Grierson the EFG was of particular importance for promoting a wide view of cinema . Writing in 1951 he commented: "The old London Film Society was the first to break from somewhat exclusive attention to
1675-509: The Filmhouse entered administration the Guild has continued to offer screenings and its educational programme. Run by volunteers on a non-profit basis, and is a company with charitable status. The programme is organised on the basis of mini-seasons linked by some common element, of director , performer , country, genre or theme. French Institute for Scotland The French Institute ( French : Institut français ) in Edinburgh
1742-504: The Institute to learn French. 55°57′08″N 3°12′44″W / 55.95233°N 3.21231°W / 55.95233; -3.21231 West End, Edinburgh The West End is an affluent district of Edinburgh , Scotland , which along with the rest of the New Town and Old Town forms central Edinburgh, and Edinburgh's UNESCO World Heritage Site . The area boasts several of
1809-683: The National Galleries of Scotland opened Modern Two across the road from Modern One as a sister gallery. In 1998, the Church of Scotland purchased a two-story townhouse, Number 2 Rothesay Terrace, in the West End for use as an official residence for the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland . From 1999 until 2020, the address at 1 Melville Crescent served as the Edinburgh home of
1876-612: The Old Town. As well as a number of inscriptions there is a round-arched doorway and an elaborate double window with a pediment above, which is said to have come from the French Ambassador's Chapel in the Cowgate. After his death the Easter Coates House estate would be inherited by Sir Patrick's two spinster daughters: Mary and Barbara Walker. Devout Episcopalians, they donated the garden of Easter Coates House, and fully underwrote
1943-643: The Princes Street Railway Station) would be laid out as a new piazza-style square. The square was intended to connect the space around the Usher Hall with the space created by The Exchange development and adjoining buildings to create a large public space for the city's festivals and fringe . The success of the square has been mixed, with many critics claiming the busy Lothian Road makes the two spaces feel very separate. To counteract this criticism in 2019 plans were drawn up to part or fully pedestrianize
2010-552: The Princes Street Station goods shed. Called The Exchange, it was designed by Sir Terry Farrell and includes the Edinburgh International Conference Centre , a Sheraton Grand hotel, a cutting edge Spa facility, bars and restaurants, and a number of offices for financial firms, lawyers, and banks. By 1984, the space opposite the Usher Hall in the West End (formerly the site of the goods shed for
2077-467: The Randolph Place entrance onto Melville Street into the West End Village from Charlotte Square, via the passages either side of West Register House. Suggestions included removing parking, resurfacing the setts , or the addition of green space and public art, and the possibility of a cycle route. In the South West End, a complex of buildings was opened in the mid-1980s on the site that formerly housed
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2144-634: The United Kingdom, the French Institute relocated from a row of townhouses in Randolph Crescent in Edinburgh's West End to Lothian Chambers in 2018. In 2011, for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the French Institute presented a show, 'Two Johnnies live upstairs', especially created for the building by the French compagny Mythos festival. This show has been selected as one of the highlights of 2011 by The Scotsman . The French Institute
2211-665: The Victorian extension curves around north up the Queensferry Road, over the Dean Bridge , and overlooking the Dean Village and Dean Gardens . Lord Provost of Edinburgh John Learmonth built the Dean Bridge around 1838 with engineer Thomas Telford to open up his lands in the north of the West End. With architect John Tait , Learmonth developed Clarendon Crescent, named after the Earl of Clarendon and based on William Henry Playfair 's Regent Terrace . The crescent disguised this side of
2278-549: The West End Village in the north. Through the early 1800s, proposed canal and railway developments, plus the uncertainty about the New Western Approach road to the Old Town, made the South West End less desirable, and delayed the implementation of a number of development proposals to extend the New Town and West End Georgian terraces southward to Tollcross . By the 1820s only two such schemes had begun, one on Morrison Street and
2345-421: The West End in the 1890s, and features a large, grand, railway hotel. The station was closed in 1965 but the hotel remains. Edinburgh's first power station was built on the southern edge of the West End at Dewar Place off Morrison Street between 1894 and 1895. The power station was coal-fired using fuel from the adjacent Caledonian Railway yards adjacent to Edinburgh Princes Street railway station . While
2412-424: The West End tram stop, is via Canning Street. It appears the original intention for Canning Street was to extend the surrounding Georgian terraced properties. Number 2 Canning Street appears to have been built as a Georgian tenement. The plan seems to have been abandoned due to uncertainty around prospective rail, road and canal developments. Number 2 Canning Street was later converted to a whisky bonded warehouse (it
2479-524: The area. By the early 20th Century, Shandwick Place was a bustling high end shopping street, which also featured the flagship car showroom for the Rossleigh Car Company. Rossleigh held a royal warrant as Motor Engineers to the King, and sold Daimler , Rolls-Royce , Bentley , and many other high end motor vehicles. Although initially built as a residential district, from the mid 20th century many of
2546-498: The auspices of its owner Provost John Learmonth who also owned much of the nearby Dean Village . The area west of Manor Place remained undeveloped until the 1860s. One of the few exceptions was in 1850, when Sheriff of the Lothians and Peebles George Napier bought some of the land on the west of the estate for construction of a new "Coates Hall", designed by David Bryce as a small Baronial house. Other than this, William Walker left
2613-544: The best in film to its members and the community. Today, the guild offers a wide range of programming, including film screenings, and educational events. The EFG screens films at several venues including the French Institute for Scotland . The Guild attracts film enthusiasts who are interested in independent and international films, and who are looking for a community of like-minded individuals to share their passion for film in its many forms and cultural origins. Members of
2680-431: The building trade. The plan for this area had been drawn up by architect John Chesser . The plan called for rows of well proportioned townhouses in much the same way as Tait had done with Clarendon Crescent, creating a corresponding crescent opposite called Buckingham Terrace, however Chesser oversaw only the construction of Learmonth Terrace as Steel preferred to use his own architect. At the far end of Learmonth Terrace
2747-477: The buildings in the West End were predominantly used for offices. Retail uses are concentrated on Shandwick Place, West Maitland Street, William Street and Queensferry Street where the area abuts the Moray Estate . William Street is the only street which has a continual commercial ground floor of 19th-century character. The West End of Edinburgh has been synonymous with the arts since the late 19th century. In 1876,
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2814-534: The city's hotels, restaurants, independent shops, offices and arts venues, including the Edinburgh Filmhouse , Edinburgh International Conference Centre and the Caledonian Hotel . The area also hosts art festivals and crafts fairs. Built as a western expansion of the New Town, the northern part of the West End sits on the Water of Leith river and forms part of Edinburgh's UNESCO World Heritage Site. The West End
2881-529: The entire cost of building an Episcopalian Cathedral as a centrepiece for the whole West End at the end of Melville Street. There had not been an Anglican / Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh since the Anglican Scottish Episcopal Church was disestablished as the Church of State in 1690, when the Bishop of Edinburgh and congregation were removed from St Giles' Cathedral , which was handed over to
2948-559: The estate of the Earls of Moray which once stood on Randolph Crescent in the Moray Feu and stretched into this area of the West End. Additional Victorian crescents and terraces were built around this northern section of the West End as the Walker family sold off the land to the west of Easter Coates House in the 1860s, usually with a private garden as their central focal point in much the same way as
3015-577: The garden and roads to create a grand entrance from the Moray Estate into the West End development. By 1829, however, it was agreed that the prospect of the feuars agreeing to demolition or deviation from the original Moray Feu plan was so remote that it was not worth pursuing the plan, and the houses were sold at a considerable loss. By 1867 Lord Moray had sold the Randolph Crescent garden to the Feuers at Randolph Crescent, however it remains managed separately from
3082-567: The land north and south of his Easter Coates House home as garden ground and it remained such until the 1870s. The estate was inherited by William's son, Sir Patrick Walker, who also inherited his father's office of White Rod of the Scottish Parliament (an ancient office similar to Black Rod in England). Sir Patrick expanded the Easter Coates House, often incorporating historic carved stones he had collected from demolished historic buildings in
3149-406: The most expensive streets in Scotland's capital. Many nations have their consulates in the West End. The Scottish Episcopal Church has its headquarters, Forbes House, in the district and the official residence of the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is also located here. The West End district is immediately west of the rest of the New Town, and also the Old Town. It
3216-518: The north of Queensferry Road is Lynedoch Place, built on land owned by Major James Weir and broadly completed by 1823 by architect James Milne. The Georgian terraces here are stepped into the slope, and command views over the Deane. This is also the location of the Drumsheugh Baths Club . From here the road also splinters onto the Dean Bridge constructed much later by Thomas Telford , and capped on
3283-712: The office ex-officio to this day. In 2011 the Walker Trustees found the regalia of the White Rod in a safety deposit box in the Royal Bank of Scotland Headquarters and donated it for exhibition to the National Museum of Scotland . The St Mary's Music School was opened in 1880 in the West End as the Song School of St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in 1880 to educate choristers for the cathedral. Napier's New Coates Hall meanwhile
3350-452: The other Moray Estate gardens. Randolph Place provides access from Melville Street into Charlotte Square and from there on to George Street in the New Town via two unassuming passages either side of the West Register House , constructed between 1811 and 1814. Robert Adam's original plan for the building included a grand rear entrance onto Randolph Place. However, when the funds could not be found for Adam's design, architect Robert Reid
3417-408: The other known as Gardener's Crescent. The matching crescent opposite was never constructed because of the railway. A neoclassical church was built in 1831, designed by architect David Bryce for the United Presbyterian Church , later becoming St Thomas of the Church of Scotland , which counted Andrew Thomson amongst its ministers. The Edinburgh Princes Street railway station was built in
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#17328526082253484-402: The power station has since been dismantled, the area still serves as one of the main electricity substations in Edinburgh and the site is covered with a false frontage. By the late 19th and early 20th century the South West End began to obtain a reputation for the arts. Stradling the South West End, Tolcross and the Old Town, the Royal Lyceum Theatre was constructed in 1883. The Usher Hall ,
3551-420: The railway and Caledonia Hotel, which has left the small street with a distinct architectural feel compared to the surrounding Georgian era buildings. Architect John McLachlan developed numbers 52, 54 and 56 as some of his first works as a sole practitioner. Following this re-development, Shandwick Place was famed for its art galleries, and connection to the turn of the century Scottish Colourists who worked in
3618-417: The road by the square, and redirect traffic around this part of the Lothian Road. In 2021, due to the growth of the Edinburgh Film Festival, plans were submitted to build a contemporary tower caped in video-capable screens, with underground cinema space and rooftop terraces, in Festival Square to be operated by the Edinburgh Film Festival organisers. Access to the South West End, from Atholl Crescent and
3685-415: The south of the Easter Coates House estate, by John Cockburn Ross, of Shandwick in Easter Ross , who commissioned architect James Tait to come up with a plan for the west of New Town. It was eventually joined up with the newly built Maitland Street (started 1807), named after its developer and owner Sir Alexander Charles Maitland, 2nd baronet of Cliftonshall . Around 1800, the Easter Coates House estate
3752-414: The south side by what is now Deanbrae House (formerly an inn), and to the north by the Holy Trinity Church built in the late 1830s. This Georgian era central part of the West End is sometimes also known as "Western New Town" or the "West End Village". The southern area of the new West End was developed separately under several different landowners. Rutland Square had been developed from the 1830s under
3819-421: The streets have a feeling of emptiness. Attempts have been made in recent years to improve this street and increase foot traffic down it. At the rear of Canning Street for example, there are electricity sub stations which through the use of lighting have been turned into “public art”. The West End is located at the western edge of the centre of Edinburgh, to the west of the Old Town and largely contiguous with
3886-401: The time the steep slope was then used for sheep grazing and in places, had become disfigured with piles of building spoil. A number of nearby residents began a public subscription to purchase the slope, to improve the land and prevent the construction of Cambridge Terrace. As the dispute dragged out the name Cambridge was usurped by a development south of Edinburgh Castle and the eastern terrace
3953-454: Was added to St George's West Church at Shandwick Place, described as "one of the icons of Scottish presbyterianism". The original church had been designed by David Bryce, however the stunning campanile was the work of Sir Robert Rowand Anderson , one of Scotland's most renowned architects of the era. Anderson modelled the campanile after the one on the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice designed by Andrea Palladio in 1467. One part of
4020-415: Was also tasked with designing Queensferry Street, part of the Erskine Estate, which acts as the junction between the New Town and the new West End development. The north of Queensferry Street is where the West End meets the Moray Feu . Here Queensferry Street overlooks Randolph Crescent Garden, one of the New Town Gardens , and formerly the location of the estate of the Earl of Moray. Randolph Crescent Garden
4087-459: Was bought by William Walker, an Advocate and the Gentleman Usher of the White Rod in the Estates of Parliament , who sought to develop the east section of the estate, as a western extension of the then newly built New Town . In 1808 a plan for the West End Village was devised by the architect Robert Brown. Property in the West of the city was desirable to the wealthy early on because the winds carried smog, dust and pollution eastward. Under
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#17328526082254154-447: Was called in to modify the plan. The modified plan placed attenuated pavilions flanking a Diocletian window above a Venetian window at the rear of the building overlooking Randolph Place, and although architect David Bryce later drew up plans to add towers to the pavilions, this work was never carried out. Randolph Place therefore became a comparatively unimpressive entrance from the West End's Melville Street, into Charlotte Square. At
4221-418: Was developed alongside the Walker estate, but using James Gillespie Graham as the architect, instead of Brown. Gillespie Graham was the architect for the Earl of Moray and had designed the Moray Feu in the New Town, and was employed by Lord Alva to continue the New Town westward. Alva Street (named for Lord Alva), which serves as a continuation of William Street and the Georgian grid, was constructed in 1830 and
4288-434: Was instead called Eton Terrace after Eton College . The slope would be landscaped, and become known as The Eton Terrace Garden (later renamed the Dean Gardens). Due to delays and the bankruptcy of the Learmonth family the development of the rest of this land was much delayed. Following the bankruptcy of the Learmonth family, the land was purchased by Sir James Steel , a Lord Provost of Edinburgh who made his fortune in
4355-430: Was largely completed by the 1830s although the corner plots would remain unfinished until the 1860s. At the centre of Melville Street is a bronze statue of Robert Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville standing on two large stone steps. The William Walker estate abutted the estate of James Erskine, Lord Alva and the Erskine Trustees, with Stafford Street forming the junction between the two estates. The Erskine family estate
4422-406: Was not part of the Moray Feu Estate gardens, and the land was not feued, as the Earl of Moray had hoped to extend the Moray Feu into the West End here and build a new city mansion for himself. As such, in 1825 several houses around this area of the Moray Estate had been purchased by the Heriot Trust on the advice of Gillespie Graham. The intention was to knock some of the houses down in order to extend
4489-431: Was purchased and turned into Edinburgh Theological College - the music school would move to this building in 1994. Buildings constructed after the latter half of the 19th century are generally regarded as 'the Victorian Extension' of the West End. This includes Drumsheugh Gardens. Designed by John Lessels , they were built around a private garden in the late 1870s, the square was named for the gardens of Drumsehugh House,
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