The historic remnants of a rare giant sculpture from the 70s left in an Edinburgh neighbourhood have become a C-listed building by Historic Environment Scotland (HES).
Hidden away by overgrown shrubs, what is left of the giant concrete Gulliver Sculpture has now been listed by Scotland's environmental body protecting the fascinating piece of history for generations to come.
The two surviving fragments of a once extensive concrete play sculpture known as Gulliver or The Gentle Giant are located beside the Niddrie Burn on the west side of Hunter's Hall Public Park.
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The sculpture was commissioned by the Craigmillar Festival Society in 1976, based on a design by Jimmy Boyle and completed by 1978.
In all it's glory the giant was a 33-metre-long interactive human figure lying on the ground, with tunnel passageways through its torso and its outstretched arms and legs.
The surviving concrete fragments, with a combined length of seven metres, consist of a left foot with indented toes and incised toenail detailing and a detached rectangular box-tunnel section that formed part of the figure's left leg.
The side walls of the tunnel section each have a window-like circular opening and are secured within a smoothly rendered concrete base.
Local heritage group the Cockburn Association shared the news and wrote: "The surviving fragments of Craigmillar's famous Gulliver concrete play sculpture in Hunter's Hall Park have been listed (C) by HES.
"The 100-foot-long concrete figure was designed by artist, writer and former gangster Jimmy Boyle while he was still serving a prison sentence in Barlinnie."
They added: "It was unveiled at the Craigmillar Festival in 1976 by Billy Connolly."
"Over the years the sculpture fell into disrepair and lay in the path of a plan to prevent flooding during housing re-development in the area.
"In too poor a state to be relocated, the giant was dismantled in 2011, with only the left foot and part of the left leg remaining."
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HES explained that the sculpture of Gulliver meets the criteria of special historic interest because it is a celebrated example of participatory, community-led public sculpture in Scotland.
Also because it is a rare tangible marker of the wider work of the Craigmillar Festival Society during the 1970s which was one of the most important and influential community-led regeneration initiatives of its time.
It is also unique due to its primitive design, representative of themes and trends in public and 'outsider' art and sculpture during the post-war period.
You can still find the sculpture on Niddrie Mains Road today and can find out more about the Gentle Giant here.
