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Summary

Description

W L Moffat and Aitken, 1875-6; extensions by Robert Wilson, 1885; further additions by J Carfrae, 1903. Large, Gothic, symmetrical, 2, 3, and 4-storey, elaborate E-plan building on site sloping SE to NW; to principal elevation, advanced gables to outer left, right and centre with large buttressed pyramidal roofed towers to flanks; cruciform 1885 extension to rear SE. Squared snecked tooled sandstone. Chamfered base course; corbel table to eaves. Predominantly regular fenestration with relieving arches and splayed cills; predominantly shouldered bipartite windows.

NE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: to centre, 2 storey advanced gable with 2 tripartite stepped windows with hoodmould to ground floor; to 1st floor, tripartite window in pointed overarch with cinquefoil tracery, flanked by bipartite windows in pointed overarches with trefoil tracery, all under continuous hoodmould; to gable, Edinburgh School Board sculpture 'Education' in pointed overarcH Flanking central gable, recessed 2-storey, 2-bay flanking sections; stepped hoodmoulded tripartite windows to ground floor, dormer-headed stepped tripartite windows to 1st floor with blind trefoils above; to central gable and flanking sections, ground and 1st floor cill courses, buttresses to ground floor dividing bays. To outer left and right, advanced single bay gables (3-storey to left, 3-storey and basement to right), 4 windows to ground floor, truncated string courses between ground and 1st floors; 3 windows to 1st floor, stepped tripartite windows with truncated cill courses to 2nd floor. To sides of outer gables, recessed 3-storey side elevation of towers; to ground floor, 2-leaf timber-boarded doors in pointed arched moulded door surrounds, carved banners above with words 'GIRLS AND INFANTS' (SE door) and 'BOYS' (NW door), blind arrow slits to upper floors; single window to 2nd floor.

NW (SIDE) ELEVATION: 5-bay elevation, advanced tower to 2nd bay from left, 4-storey tower, 3 storeys to remainder. To left of tower, blank to ground floor, 4 windows to 1st floor, 3 windows to 1st floor. To tower, to ground floor, 2 leaf timber-boarded door in pointed arched opening flanked by blocked windows; flanking buttresses; to 1st and 2nd floors, 3 windows, set in recessed giant overarch; between 2nd and 3rd floor, string course and corbelled gabled bell canopy; blind quatrefoil frieze below eaves. To right of tower, to ground floor, 2-leaf timber-panelled door with 2-light fanlight.

SW (REAR) ELEVATION: predominantly 3-storey elevation. To centre, advanced 3-bay central section flanked to left and right by recessed 5-bay sections (3-bay to 2nd floor); to 1st and 2nd floors of central section and 2nd floor of flanking sections, larger windows (probably added in 1903). To outer left, 2-bay advanced gable, modern single-storey extension to ground floor; modern gable-end stack dividing bays. To outer right, greatly advanced 1885 extension; 2-storey, 2-bay gabled central section flanked by 3-bay (2-storey to right bay, single storey to centre and left bays) section to left and 3-bay, 2-storey section with nepus gable to right. Various linked modern single storey buildings attached to rear.

SE (SIDE) ELEVATION: advanced gable to outer left, 4-bay section to centre, advanced 3-storey tower to right, 2-bay section to outer right. String course between ground and 1st floors to sections to left of tower. 3 windows to outer left gable to ground floor; single window to 1st floor. Dormer-headed window to 1st floor to 2nd bay from left to 4-bay section. To tower, 2-leaf timber-boarded door in pointed arched opening with fanlight above, flanked by windows and buttresses; to 1st floor, 3 windows, all recessed under overarch; between 1st and 2nd floors, stepped stringcourse and blank panel; 3 windows to 2nd floor; below eaves, blind quatrefoil frieze.

GLAZING etc: predominantly mixture of 6-, 8- and 10-pane glazing in tilt and turn and hopper timber windows to original sections of building; mixture of 6-, 8-, 9-, 10- and 15-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows to 1885 extension; 28-pane timber sash and case windows to 1903 alterations. Predominantly pitched roofs; pyramidal roofs to towers; concealed roofs to 1903 alterations; graded grey slate; stone skews and scrolled skewputts; fleur-de-lys stone finials to apexes of gables; lead ball finials to towers; to NE elevation, flat-roofed dormer windows to each pitch of central gable. Majority of stacks concealed; some corniced ridge stacks ( no cans) to original building; corbelled shouldered wall-end stack with circular cans to 1885 extension. Distinctive cast-iron rainwater rhones, hoppers and downpipes.

BOUNDARY WALLS, GATEPIERS AND RAILINGS: to rear walls, predominantly random rubble walls with saddleback coping. To SE wall, snecked, squared rubble with saddleback coping; square gatepiers with chamfered corners and base, and near-pyramidal caps. To NE wall, snecked squared rubble with chamfered coping surmounted by mixture of cast-iron and modern railings; some roll-moulded coping to higher sections of wall, 2 pairs of gatepiers with chamfered corners and caps.

LODGE: single storey, L- plan Gothic lodge. Squared, snecked, tooled sandstone. Chamfered base course (excluding rear elevation). Predominantly regular fenestration; shouldered windows; chamfered cills; all windows currently (2003) boarded up.

NE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: 3-bay elevation; advanced single bay gable to left with bipartite window and truncated string course and blind trefoil above; to right, shouldered doorway and window.

SE (SIDE) ELEVATION: 2-bay elevation; to left, advanced gable with 3 windows and truncated string course and blind trefoil above.

SW (REAR) ELEVATION: 3-bay elevation; 3 bipartite windows.

NW (SIDE) ELEVATION: blank, forming part of boundary wall.

GLAZING etc: glazing, if any remaining, not seen 2003. Pitched roofs; stone skews and scrolled skewputts; fleur-de-lys apex finials. Corniced ridge stack to NE elevation; shouldered wall-end stack with cornice and trefoil parapet to SW elevation. Some cast-iron rain water goods.

Statement of Special Interest

Leith Walk Primary School is a good example of School Board architecture of the larger scale, demonstrating an effective use of massing and retaining much of its original form and details. It remains in use as a primary school.

Leith Walk Primary School was designed for the Edinburgh School Board in 1875, at a time when this area of the city, between Leith Walk and Easter Road, was undergoing a fairly rapid period of industrial and residential development, thus necessitating the construction of a large local school. The addition of a substantial number of new classrooms only a decade later demonstrates the speed at which the local population was increasing. The Edinburgh School board was established shortly following the 1872 Education Act. They took over some existing burgh school, but also instigated the construction of many more. The carved depiction of 'Education and her pupils' is to be found on all Edinburgh School Board buildings, although almost always held in a roundel, rather than the more unusual pointed arch as at Leith Walk Primary. Leith Walk Primary was one of the very first of the board schools to be built. Initially, the Board used several architects, but from the 1880s they had secured their own architect, Robert Wilson. John Carfrae assisted him throughout the 1890s and then eventually succeeded him in the post.

References

Bibliography

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