The Scott, former Salisbury Green House, 18 Holyrood Park Road, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Edinburgh

Description

John Lessels, 1860-1867, incorporating smaller mansion circa 1780. 3-storey and attic, L-plan Baronial mansion. Three-bay original house with single storey extension (circa 1820) to south; 1860-1867 additions including advanced, three-stage cap-housed tower, new wing and single storey service wing to north; extension to southeast by Gordon, Duncan and Somerville (1979). Stugged cream sandstone ashlar to principal elevation and single storey wing; stugged, squared and snecked sandstone to modern extension; rubble to sides and rear of original 18^th century house and to 1820 wing. Circular bartizans; cable moulding and cherub friezes to corbels; three small single windows with cable moulded architraves; heraldic carving to eaves course; cast-iron finials to conical roofs.

Main Block: (original 18^th century house).

West (Entrance) Elevation: base course; carved biblical inscription and cornice to entablature of first floor windows; cable moulding to architraves and heraldic carving to pediments to second floor windows; eaves course; cornice. Central, advanced doorway; two-leaf panelled door; doric columns and pilasters, cornice and heraldic panel to doorpiece; three-light, corniced, canted window to first floor above; single window to second floor above with bracketed cill and carved scrolls to architrave. Three-light canted window to ground floor outer right; single window to first floor above with consoled cornice to architrave; single window to second floor above. Tripartite window to ground floor outer left; single window above with consoled cornice to architrave; single window to second floor above. Bartizan to second floor at southwest angle.

South Elevation: Two-bay with single storey wing adjoining to eat (see below); crowstepped gable; single windows to both bays to all floors; two smaller windows with decorative cast-iron window guards to attic; bartizan to second floor at east angle.

Tower: strip quoins; corbelled, castellated parapet with bartizans to three angles.

West Elevation: advanced bipartite window at ground; cornice and finely carved heraldic panel above; band course between ground and first floors; bipartite window to first floor with carved panel above corniced architrave; single architraved window above with bracketed cill, corbelled cornice and broken pediment. Bartizans to southeast and northwest angles; crow-step gables and pedimented window to cap house above parapet.

North Elevation: Two-bay; lean-to extension to ground floor with tripartite window to outer right; heraldic panel and pediment above; flanking skewputts; single windows to first and second floors above with carved panels to corniced architraves; single pedimented window in lean-to to ground floor outer left; single architraved windows to first and second floors above with carved panels and cornices; central carved panel depicting shield between bays and first and second floors; bartizans to east and west angles.

New (1860-1867) Wing: adjoining and advanced from north elevation of tower; two-storey and attic, two-bay; bipartite doorway to ground floor outer right; single window to first floor above with carved stone balcony and broken pediment; carved panel above single window to attic and to crowstepped gable above; single windows to ground floor outer left and to first floor above; single attic window with decoratively carved pediment breaking eaves; simple, square bartizan to east angle. Linking block to service wing to east.

Service Wing: L-plan, single storey wing adjoining new wing and modern extension to north.

West Elevation: Two crowstepped gables flanking two-bay linking block; octagonal laundry at north angle; conical roof swept at eaves with original vents and cast-iron finial.

East Elevation: advanced block to outer right with crowstepped gables; five-bay linking block to left with central crowstepped gable and single windows with pediments breaking eaves; box dormers.

Single Storey Wing (1820) to South: three-bay, bowed extension to original house.

Modern (1979) Extention: on site of Lessel's conservatory adjoining to east; single storey and attic; three-bay to south with advanced two-bay block to outer right with crowstepped gable; six-bay to east elevation adjoining service wing.

Variety of small-paned, timber, sash and case windows. Grey slate pitched roofs; corniced wallhead stacks.

Interior: fine interior with many original features remaining. Entrance via vestibule leading to Stair Hall: polished stone dog-leg staircase to left with ornate wrought brasswork supporting handrail. Two rooms to right of stair Hall: the Red Room, 1882, (now used as a study room) by Alexander Dingwall and John Haddon of Bonnar and Carfrae with a dramatic colour scheme in red, gold, black, white and olive green; ebony fittings and red velvet panels, both with gold leaf beading; carved classical figures to ebony overdoor; carved, black marble fireplace with decorative tiles to hearth; intricate papier mache cornice with classical male heads at corners of the room and between panels; ceiling decorated at each corner with elaborate Rococo design in gold. To the north of the Red Room, the Drawing Room (now a music room), possibly of 1861, by Thomas Bonnar; bowed to south; oak skirtings, panelled doors and corbelled doorpieces; carved white marble, round-arched fireplace with pulvinated frieze and keystone; large mirror above; further full-height mirror to west wall; gilt beading to light green plasterwork panels; ceiling decorated with clouds, cherubs, flower vases, female classical heads and classical plaque in grisaille. Billiard Room to east of stair hall; top-lit with elaborately carved oak fittings; paired strapwork pilasters; recessed, panelled cue cupboard to west wall; white marble fireplace with decorative tiling within; strapwork pilasters and heraldic motifs to carved oak fire-surround; tripartite mirror to overmantle; egg and dart frieze and heraldic panels to cornice; carved wood panels to ceiling.

Student Bedrooms: some panelled corridors and doors; finely carved fireplaces with mirrored overmantles; beams with simple carved design.

Boundary Wall: high rubble boundary wall surrounding estate.

Statement of Interest

Original house built by the merchant Alexander Scott and bought by the Dick Cunninghams of Prestonfield from whom William Nelson (son of Thomas Nelson, publisher) acquired it in 1860. The Nelsons owned the Parkside publishing works (on the Dalkeith Road/Holyrood Park Road site currently occupied by Scottish Widows) which was also designed by John Lessels. The decoration for the music room, often attributed to Charles Frechou, is in the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland collection of Thomas Bonnar's designs.

In 1869 Thomas Nelson built St Leonards House while his brother owned the adjacent estate of Salisbury Green. The combined estates were sold to Sir Donald Pollock, who gifted the land to Edinburgh University. Between the wars Salisbury Green was bought by Sir Donald Pollock who gave it to the University of Edinburgh for use as a student residence.

John Lessels (1809-1883) was a Kirkcaldy born architect who practised in Edinburgh from 1846 and was appointed joint architect to the City Improvement Trust in 1866. By the early 1860s, Lessels had gained the patronage of Nelsons the publishers for whom he designed the extension to Salisbury Green and St Leonards Hall, Holyrood Park Road in 1869.

The original eighteenth century mansion house is visible on Kirkwood's map of 1817. The mansion as extended by John Lessels appears on Edinburgh OS 1876.

Listed building record and statutory address updated (2015). Previously listed as 'Dalkeith Road, Salisbury Green including boundary walls'.

Statutory address and listed building record revised in 2022. Previously listed as 'University of Edinburgh, Salisbury Green, Including Boundary Walls, Edinburgh'.

External Links

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