This hybrid talk reviews the motives for planning and building Edinburgh's New Town as a direct response to the threat of plague in 1720. Edinburgh Town Council responded to directions given by the national government, and, in so doing, this presentation will account for what the magistrates did, who they took advice from, and how the situation developed between 1720 and 1725. It touches upon George Drummond's plan to make Edinburgh a healthier city; the foundations of the Infirmary hospital; and how the New Town became a legacy project. However, the work that architects did to plan and prepare the city for Georgian Britain's largest urban planning project should not be overlooked.

Tickets are available via Eventbrite https://bit.ly/4hl7trW