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Summary

Description

John Alexander Carfrae, 1910-11, and later additions. Extensive L-plan Free Renaissance school with some Caroline detail; canted pedimented entrance across apex, with timber bellcote cupola, and further wing extending behind. Detached workshop ranges complete quadrangle. Numerous additions, including dining hall and gymnasium, within schoolyard.

Harled; dressings of cream or red ashlar, or red brick; gable and dormerheads with cream ashlar pediments. Red brick base course extends to ground floor cills. Cills to 1st floor windows.

ENTRANCE BAY: broad chamfered bay to outer corner of L-plan, 3 storeys. Red ashlar Gibbsian doorpiece with open segmental pediment; panelled double doors with semicircular decorative fanlight. Small bipartite windows either side with round-headed surrounds. Pair of tripartite windows at 1st floor. Bracketed balconette with iron railings to tripartite aedicule at 2nd floor with 2-leaf 6-pane glazed and panelled doors, elongated red ashlar doorpiece with ionic columns and open pediment, large plaque symbolising 'education' in roundel between capitals; 6-pane windows flank doorpiece, bridged by cornice; scrolled cornucopia rest on window cornices flanking columns; red ashlar cill course. Pilaster quoins with red brick banding; open cream ashlar pediment echoes pediment of balconette, both corniced. Classical octagonal cupola with dentilled cornice and copper dome; brass finial.

E (MCLEOD STREET) ELEVATION: 2-storey, composed in 3 sections; red brick banding throughout. 1st (N) section of 22 bays; 1st bay (from left) with narrow bipartite window at ground and tripartite above, all other windows taller, one to each bay. 2nd bay with cream ashlar triangular pedimented dormerhead flanked by wallhead stacks. Penultimate bay with broad windows to each floor. Final bay with iron stairs to slightly raised glazed and pannelled door; fanlight extending into round- headed window; cream ashlar open pediment above, set into wall; flanking blocked pilasters; window below door in half-basement.

Central bays arranged as 6 groups of 3 with wallhead stacks between; in each case central bay with blocking at both floors, moulded cill at 1st floor and cream ashlar pedimented (alternatively triangular and segmental) dormerheads. Central window just breaks eaves line, broader than flanking windows. 3-bay 2nd section with lower roofline; central bay with cream ashlar margins. Panelled door and corniced doorpiece surmounted by segmental headed window with keystone; 1st floor window with segmental pediment. Bay flanked by banded pilasters supporting open pedimented dormerhead. Flanking bays with tripartite windows to both floors, upper ones taller. Ground floor windows appear very elevated compared to door due to falling ground.

Final N block has entrance bay with corniced doorpiece and round-headed window with keystone. Wallhead stack to right. 3 closely spaced bays to canted corner, central canted bay breaking eaves with open pedimented dormerhead; blocking to all 3 bays. Single bay return. Further canted corner with plain door and pedimented dormerheaded window above turns corner to plain rear elevation.

S ELEVATION: 2-storey 22-bay range, mirror image of above, except on level ground therefore no door to end bay; small tripartite window inserted between pilasters above base course. Single storey blank bay beyond. Later single storey 5-bay dormerheaded building to W.

COURTYARD ELEVATIONS: plain harled elevations with irregular fenestration; gabled hall projecting from angle. Many later additions and alterations.

Multi-pane timber sash and case windows throughout. Stacks with red brick banding and copes. Grey slates; moulded red ashlar skews. Cast-iron gutters and downpipes.

WORKSHOPS: 2-storey L-plan gabled brick workshop range to N and E, designed by Carfrae in 1910, prior to main school building. Virtually unchanged, detailed as above, with open internal stairs in round-headed openings and external iron galleries at 1st floor. Large multi-pane windows at ground. S half of E range later, single storey.

GATES, GATEPIERS AND RAILINGS: red ashlar rectangular gatepiers at entrance with engaged part columns and cornice; wrought-iron gates. Low rubble wall to McLeod Street with ashlar saddleback coping and cast-iron railings.

Statement of Special Interest

Described in EDINBURGH as 'harled Wrenaissance'. Modern buildings including gymnasium and dining hall in courtyard.

References

Bibliography

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