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Summary

Description

3 and 4-storey tenement with complicated building history in 3 major phases: 1741, construction of 3-bay villa with 2 storeys over basement; 1810-12, 2 bays added to E; circa 1880, removal of doorpiece and steps to principal floor, and conversion into 2 tenements. Construction of neighbouring tenements during later 19th century enclosed principal N elevation, effectively reorientating house to S (now Sciennes House Place). Alterations: circa 1840, rendering of N elevation in a form of "Roman" cement; 1989 restoration.

S (SCIENNES HOUSE PLACE) ELEVATION:

1741: random sandstone rubble with stugged ashlar window and door margines; 3-bay, 3-storey dwelling. Dividing course between ground and 1st floors. Off-centre doorway with panelled door and plate glass fanlight; single windows to centre bay at 1st and 2nd floors; regularly disposed single windows in remaining bays (relieving lintels at 1st floor). 2 canted dormers to attic. Commemorative plaque at 1st floor.

1810-12 (to E of above): squared and snecked sandstone with stugged ashlar window margins and quoins. 3-storey, 2-bay slightly advanced and taller extension to above. Single windows in both bays (some evidence of alterations to windows at 1st floor). Curvilinear W gable.

CIRCA 1880 (TO E OF ABOVE): squared and snecked sandstone with stugged ashlar window and door margins, and quoins. 4-storey, 3-bay tenement. Segmental-arched doorway with cornice to outer left; single windows in remaining bays; segmental-arched windows at ground and 1st floors.

N ELEVATION:

1741: (see notes on 1989 restoration of features on this elevation). Slightly advanced 3-storey, 3-bay block. Random rubble at ground floor; "Roman" cement rendering at 1st and 2nd floors, channelled at 1st and lined at 2nd Dividing band courses at ground and 1st floors; cornice; fluted blind balustrade with central swags, terminal dies and decorative urns; bracketted cills at 1st and 2nd floors (more ornate at 2nd floor); keystoned window surrounds raised at ground, lugged and architraved at 1st, and 2nd floor. Off-centre doorway with relieving arch and panelled door; small ventilation opening flanking to right; single windows above and in remaining bays.

1810-12 (TO EAST OF ABOVE): 2-bay, 3-storey extension of E; materials and details continuous with those listed above. Segmental-arched doorway with boarded door to outer left; single windows at 1st and 2nd floors above; small single window at ground floor between bays; wider single windows at all floors in bay to outer right.

CIRCA 1880 (TO E OF ABOVE): single 4-storey bay visible of corner tenement block, adjoined to similar block to N. Brick with ashlar dressings. Bipartite windows at all floors.

8-pane sash and case windows. Grey slate pitched roof. 2 mutual stacks with deep cornices and moulded cans.

Statement of Special Interest

The historical significance of Sciennes Hill House is recorded by the commemorative plaque with reads: "This tablet commemorates the meeting of Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott which took place here in the winter of 1786-87". The house belonged to the Professor of Moral Philosophy at Edinburgh University, Adam Ferguson, and it was at one of his literary gatherings that the only meeting between Burns and the young Walter Scott took place see Cant, Smith, and Grant).

A drawing of the house pre-1810 (before bthe additional wing), at the National Gallery of Scotland, shows that the N elevation was pedimented and surmounted by decorative urns, and that there was a projecting porch with capitalled columns and entablature. The OS map of 1877 indicates that the land around Sciennes Hill House had not yet been developed.

The house stood in its own grounds with a large gateway opening onto Sciennes. The map also indicates a perron staircase to the N entrance. At some time between 1877 and the start of comprehensive Dean of Guild records in 1880, the tenement block to the E was added. This was probably carried out for the baker, John Brown, who is recorded as owner of all the properties on the site in 1882, and who constructed the tenements to the W at that time (Thomas Young was the architect).

The restoration scheme carried out by Dennius Rodwell in 1989 involved, amongst a number of repairs, the reforming of 2 window openings, the reinstatement of earlier 19th century decorative detail in natural stone and "Roman" cement, the reconstruction of the decorative urns, and stone cleaning.

References

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