Description

Wooden (elm) water pipes (3 No) (c.1790) excavated in the summer of 2018 as part of works in the road outside the Hugh Robson Building on the north side of George Square, Edinburgh (for location see Image 3). A short section of a wrought iron hoop is also present (2019/038).

The iron hoop was hammered into the socket part of the joint to prevent splitting.

The tree trunks were bored by a boring machine powered by a water wheel (see Image 4). The diameter of bore is 4.5 in (115 mm). The socket end is widened to 7 in (approx.) (180 mm).

One of the pipes has been sawn in half to allow a display showing a jointed pair of pipes where the iron hoop can be seen (see Image 1).

For a short contribution by Professor Roland Paxton to a Discussion on the History of Edinburgh Wooden Water Pipes at Edinburgh College of Art in January 2019 click here.

For a paper by Professor Roland Paxton on the Castlehill Reservoir click here .

See also https://canmore.org.uk/site/211289/edinburgh-george-heriots-school-old-reservoir.