14-18 Newtonloan Court, Hunterfield Road, Gorebridge, Midlothian South, Midlothian

Description

A domestic scale, single storey and attic, irregular-plan, former fever hospital, designed in the Queen Anne revival style by Edinburgh-based architect, James Jerdan in 1890.

Constructed largely of red brick with sandstone dressings, prominent gables and grey slated roofs, the complex comprises a detached block to the west (No 13), the main building (Nos 14-18), which consists of three interlinked ward blocks, a smaller adjoining block to the north (No 19), and a detached former lodge / administration building (No 20) to the south corner of the site.

No 13: A detached former ward block to the west of the main building (Nos 14-18). Advanced central doorway to southeast elevation, with flanking windows and central brick chimney stack to the roof pitch. The southwest (Hunterfield Road) elevation has a rendered gable and bipartite window with a round-headed pediment, and steps to a doorway to the left. The northwest (rear) elevation has advanced piend-roofed wings to the outer bays, and a central three light canted window.

Nos 14-18 (main block): An irregular-plan arrangement of three interlinked, gable-ended, former ward blocks with yellow brick band courses, red sandstone dressings, rounded dormer window heads and tall chimney stacks. The southwest (Hunterfield Road) elevation has panelled timber doorways set within the links between the three gable-ended blocks. The gable of the central block has corniced windows at the ground and first floors. The block to the left has two round headed pediments to the ground floor, and a three-light window with a moulded cill within the (rendered) gable. The slightly larger block to the right has a broad, three-light window with multi-pane glazing at the ground floor, a pair of roof ventilators with slated, pyramidal caps and a large chimney stack with a moulded cornice. The southeast (garden) elevation is seven bays long with a canted and slated window outshot at the central bay. Mid-20^th century additions to the rear (northeast) include a flat-roofed link adjoining a formerly detached pavilion ward (No 19) to the north.

No 19: A single storey and attic, symmetrical three-bay, former pavilion ward with central ridge chimney stack and shouldered skews. It has an advanced central doorway with bipartite dormer above, and single windows flanking in outer bays. There is a smaller outshot to the northeast gable with a round-arched opening. The southeast (rear) elevation has a central bowed bay.

No 20: A detached, former lodge / administration building, located at the southernmost corner of the site. The northwest elevation is two-bay with a corniced doorway in the bay to right. The building has a decorative iron lamp bracket and a tall, corniced brick ridge stack. There is a later lean-to addition to the northeast elevation.

Windows across the complex are mostly timber-framed sash and case with a variety of glazing patterns including 4-, 8- and 12-pane, as well as some small-pane casement windows. The buildings have grey slate roofs, some with terracotta ridging. Many of the chimney stacks are tall and prominent, with cornicing and tapered clay cans. The rainwater goods are predominantly cast-iron.

Gatepiers and boundary walls: The boundary walls are of sandstone rubble construction. There is a low saddleback wall with carriage and pedestrian gateways, ornamental wrought-iron gates and railings to Hunterfield Road. The gateways have square sandstone ashlar gatepiers with pyramidal caps. There is a red, wall-mounted letterbox beside the southernmost gateway. There is also a gateway with square gatepiers and rounded caps in the northeast wall.

In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: all interiors (Nos 13-20) and conservatory to the rear of No 13.

Historical development:

Local landowner, Robert Dundas of Arniston provided the site and instigated the building of this former fever hospital, located to the northwest of the village of Gorebridge, Midlothian. The first phase of construction, to designs by Edinburgh architect, James Jerdan, was completed by 1892 (Ordnance Survey, 1892). Additional detached isolation wards and nursing accommodation were added by Jerdan between 1891 and 1896. Alexander Murray Hardie carried out some further additions in 1910.

The hospital was converted for use as a care home (Newtonloan Lodge) in 1953/4, involving the addition of a flat-roofed linking section to the rear of the main block. In 1997/8 the complex was converted to eight private residences (Numbers 13-20 Newtonloan Court) as part of a housing development. New buildings were constructed to the northwest (Numbers 1-12 Newtonloan Court).

Statement of Interest

13-20 Newtonloan Court (former Newtonloan Fever Hospital) meets the criteria of special architectural or historic interest for the following reasons:

• For its architectural design and setting including its distinctive Queen Anne style surviving to the exterior, its partly-surviving garden setting and its largely intact-plan form, designed by the notable architect, James Jerdan.

• As a relatively rare surviving example of a late 19th century- early 20th century infectious disease hospital.

• For its contribution to an understanding of the development of health care in Scotland towards the end of the 19th century

Architectural interest

Design:

The design of the former Newtonloan Fever Hospital, with domestic-scale pavilion wards demonstrates the new approach for infectious disease hospital plan forms towards the end of the 19th century, with an emphasis on light, ventilation and garden grounds for patients to take the air. This is reflected in its phased development, over a 20-year period from 1890–1910 (see Age and Rarity).

The various buildings follow a dispersed plan form model. The spatial relationship between the pavilion ward blocks has changed little since the early 20th century, apart from the additions of 1953/4. Together the buildings form a coherent and readable group, and the surviving plan form of the former Newtonloan Fever Hospital complex is of interest.

The main block has 'Queen Anne' classical detailing including a pilastered door-piece and segmental arched dormers in red sandstone ashlar. Few fever hospitals were built using the Queen Anne style, with its characteristic red brick construction with polychromatic yellow brick accents. There are no surviving interior schemes.

James Jerdan (1839-1913) was a prolific Edinburgh-based architect who was responsible for numerous residential, public and ecclesiastical buildings in and around Edinburgh. The stylized round headed pediments at Newtonloan are characteristic of Jerdan's work. Other examples of his work include Gogarburn House, Edinburgh (1890, category B, LB27121), 235 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh (1891, category B, LB44762) and Memorial Hall, 51 Lanark Road, Slateford (1901, category C, LB51269).

While the buildings have been altered during the 20th century and have no surviving interior scheme, the plan form of the former hospital and good quality exterior detailing remain largely intact. These features contribute to the special architectural interest of the building as an example of the work of James Jerdan, in a relatively unusual style for this building type.

Setting:

The former fever hospital is located on Hunterfield Road, between the villages of Gorebridge and Newtongrange, Midlothian. The prominent roadside setting, with principle buildings visible from the roadside, relates directly to the hospital's former function. Initially surrounded by open countryside (Ordnance Survey 1892, 1906), the rural setting was suited to patients with infectious diseases such as typhoid, scarlet fever and cholera. This arrangement, located on the periphery of urban areas, is common to the building type and was inspired by innovations in hospital design and patient treatment during the 19th century.

The Newtonloan hospital buildings were initially set within a relatively large triangular parcel of land bounded by walls and gates, anticipating future expansion of the ward blocks. The historic setting of the former fever hospital has been altered by the construction of residential buildings within the boundary to the immediate northwest (in 1997/8) and more recent development across Hunterfield Road to the south. However, the main block and the detached Nos 13 and 20 remain distinguishable, visually, from the later development, and the intended spatial relationship between the former hospital buildings remains legible.

Historic interest

Age and rarity:

Fever Hospitals such as Newtonloan were most commonly constructed between 1885 and 1914 in response to increased outbreaks of infectious disease such as cholera, typhoid and scarlet fever, as well as the impact of statutory changes such as the Public Health Acts of 1867 and 1872 in Scotland, which allowed for regional funding for healthcare facilities. They were typically built on the outskirts of major settlements on a domestic scale, often with isolation rooms and smaller detached wards that could be used as quarantine units. Innovations in building design that avoided patient overcrowding, and encouraged light and ventilation reflected growing understanding of infectious disease control and management. Many former fever hospitals have since been demolished or substantially altered. Those that survive and are relatively intact may be of interest for listing. Listed examples include the former fever hospital at Leys Park Road, Dunfermline (Category C – LB26030) and the former Kildean Fever Hospital, Stirling (Category C - LB48879). A later and less detailed example is the 1912 former Whitehill Fever Hospital (now Whitehill Business Park), Dalkeith (unlisted).

The former hospital at Newtonloan was largely built over a 20 period from 1890-1910. It is an example of a domestic-scale infectious disease hospital, or fever hospital that retains much of its plan form and exterior detailing. Within this context, the Newtonloan former hospital buildings are of special architectural and historic interest for their level of completeness to the exterior and as a building type that is becoming increasingly rare.

Social historical interest:

The building of Newtonloan Fever Hospital in 1890-1910, and its use as a hospital until the 1950s can be understood as part of a longer-term movement in Scotland to improve healthcare provision. During the 19th century, poverty, overcrowded living conditions, poor working environments and ignorance about the spread of disease were all contributory factors to high death rates and a series of devastating epidemics, particularly in urban areas. Outbreaks of infectious disease could overwhelm existing hospitals, as was the case in the 1830s when the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary ceased admitting cholera patients. Legislation and improved public health administration from the later 19th century laid the foundations for a better system. The construction of small, regional, purpose-built infectious diseases hospitals was an important development.

The former hospital at Newtonloan is a notable surviving example that retains much of its character. Together this group of former fever hospital buildings contributes to an understanding of regional responses to infectious disease health care in Scotland at the end of the 19th century.

Association with people or events of national importance:

There is no association with a person or event of national importance.

Previously listed as "Newtonloan, Hunterfield Road, Newtonloan Lodge including Gates, Gatepiers and Boundary Walls". The statutory listing address was revised and the category of listing changed from B to C in 2021.

External Links

Historic Environment Scotland Listing

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