Rutland Square is part of Edinburgh’s Western New Town and was planned by Archibald Elliot in 1819. The four and a half acre site was known as the “Lands of Kirkbraehead” and belonged to the Stuart family. The Stuart property was a substantial house with a lodge fronting the intersection between the roads to Grassmarket, Kings Stables and Queensferry with Princess Street. By 1817 the alignment of Lothian Road was established, St John’s Chapel was under construction, Maitland Street had been built to the North of Mrs Stuart’s property and the streets between Melville Street and Maitland Street were being planned.
Development of the plot commenced with Rutland Street in 1830, while to the South end of Rutland Square was completed in 1837. The buildings are thus Georgian, predating Victoria’s ascension to the throne in June 1837, and are Grade A listed.
Rutland Street was modified in 1842 with the insertion of the Church of St Thomas (now the Ghillie Dhu). In 1868 the Caledonian Railway Company extended the existing tracks northward, replacing Lothian Road Station with Princess Street Station, requiring the removal of a number of properties along the East side of Rutland Street. This station building was eventually replaced in 1899 by Princess Street Station Hotel (now the Caledonian Hotel).
In the late 1800’s there appear to have been small garden areas in each of the four corners of the Square. The Southwest corner, adjacent to Canning Street, comprised a bleaching / drying green, walkway and garden ground. In 1912 the most Easterly bay of Athol Crescent terrace was removed to enlarge access to Shandwick Place. In 1929 a new roadway was laid connecting the Southwest corner of Rutland Square and Canning Street.
Rutland Gardens was originally established as a “garden ground” for the benefit of the residents of Rutland Street and Rutland Square. This area of 0.14Ha was enclosed with a plinth and railings. The original entrances on the Northwest and Southeast sides were furnished with small buttresses and gates.
In the mid 19th century the gardens themselves appear to have comprised a perimeter row of trees and shrubs encircling a grassy area with one central tree. Through the late 19th century and up to the first world war the central area was used by a lawn tennis club. During the second world war six air raid shelters were constructed. After this the garden’s use was returned to a communal green space.
In 1872 the original lightweight railings were replaced and it seems that at this point the access gates were moved to the Northeast and Southwest sides. These railing and the plinths survived until world war 2. In 1947 the current railings were erected. It seems likely that many of the larger trees currently present in the gardens were planted around this time.
The gardens currently support a range of impressive trees including an established London Plane, seven mature Limes, a Dawn Redwood and three large Flowering Cherry trees.