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Summary

Description

James Robb, 1778. 2-storey, 4-bay plain classical style former schoolhouse; L-plan with single storey additions at rear (now front); converted as residential late 19th century. Gabled to street; piended wing projects at right angles to front. Whitewashed harl; painted surrounds to openings. Continuous eaves course at rear (originally schoolmaster's private entrance). Single storey scullery, earth closet and fuel store to front (originally pupil's entrance) converted to form single garage.

N (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: boarded timber door set in bay to outer left of 3-bay, single storey addition to right of projecting wing. Single windows in remaining bays to right; garage in bay to outer right; single window at 1st floor aligned above entry. Regularly fenestrated piended wing in both bays at ground and 1st floors.

S (REAR) ELEVATION: 2-leaf part glazed timber door in penultimate bay to outer left; original rectangular fanlight with geometric glazing pattern. Regularly fenestrated in remaining bays at ground and 1st floors.

Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows to both elevations; 4-pane sash and case to single-storey addition at front. Graded grey slate roof; harled apex stacks to E and W; projecting stone cornices; octagonal cans.

INTERIOR: not seen 1996.

BOUNDARY WALL: random rubble sandstone wall with rounded coping and droved gatepiers to Cramond Glebe Road.

Statement of Special Interest

Before the erection of this schoolhouse, lessons were taken in a dilapidated building near the church which "...took in rain". With the appointment of Robert Walker (Raeburn's skating minister) in the 1770s, a determined effort was made to build a new school. April 9th, 1778 saw the appointment of Sir John Inglis as convenor of a committee established to assess the old school and schoolhouse. Their conclusions were damning, describing the buildings as "so ruinous that is was more in the interest of the Heritors to rebuild them than to bestow money to repair them". Consequently, James Robb (an Edinburgh mason) produced designs for a new school which were accepted on the condition that he have "...everything execute in a sufficient and at the same time a most frugal way". The school was to be erected "...in a field to the west of the churchyard in a more airy and commodious situation than the old one". Costing £146.16.6, Robb's finely- proportioned building served as a combined school and schoolmaster's house for a century. Plans show the ground floor as containing

2 schoolrooms, a kitchen , scullery and various earth closets and fuel stores. Above were the schoolmaster's private quarters comprising

3 bedrooms, a study and living room. The whole house has been a private residence since the school's closure in 1875 and remains relatively unchanged.

References

Bibliography

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