Explore Edinburgh’s Heritage via the Cockburn Collections

For more than 150 years, the Cockburn Association has campaigned to protect Edinburgh’s built and natural heritage. Over that time, we’ve gathered an extensive archive of photographs, plans, submissions, publications and official records that tell the story of our work—and of the city itself.

We are currently cataloguing and digitising these materials, making them accessible for researchers, students, and anyone interested in Edinburgh’s planning history.

The Cockburn Collections include:

• Photographs, plans, submissions and other documents from planning cases
• Publications such as books, pamphlets, and reports on Edinburgh’s development
• The Association’s own official records, dating back to our founding in 1875

You can browse the catalogue via the UK Archives Hub:👉 Cockburn Collections Catalogue

Some records, occasional papers and booklets are also available as PDFs on our website:👉 Cockburn Library

Together, these collections offer a unique window into Edinburgh’s past—and the ongoing story of how its heritage has been protected.

Image: Pixabay