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Summary

Description

McCarthy and Watson, 1901. 2-storey and basement, L-plan Arts and Crafts house with modern addition to rear. On sloping site with ground falling away to E and N. Crow-stepped gable, canted bay window and bow window to front; shouldered stacks; brick arch adjoining house to left, leading to service wing and garage. Roughly coursed sandstone rubble with red sandstone ashlar dressings to S (front); harled to rear and sides with painted sandstone ashlar cills. Eaves course. Long and short quoins. Slightly raised sandstone margins to 1st floor windows of S elevation.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: 3 bays. Unusual timber panelled door to centre in roll-moulded architrave with stained glass fanlight above lintel; 2 semicircular steps to door; single window above. Crowstepped gable to right with large canted window with slated roof at ground; tripartite window at first floor. Tripartite bow window at ground to left; gablet-headed dormer breaking eaves above.

E (SIDE) ELEVATION: 3-storey, 4 bays, irregularly fenestrated. 2-leaf, half-glazed timber panelled door at ground to centre in roll-moulded surround. Slightly advanced chimney breast to left, stepped and corbelled out to outer left at upper floor; 3 gablet-headed dormers to attic and 2 shouldered wallhead stacks.

N (REAR) ELEVATION: large staircase window at centre; tripartite window in flat-roofed section breaking eaves above. Shouldered wallhead stack to outer right. Scullery outshot at ground to right continued to N with sympathetic conservatory extension.

W (SIDE) ELEVATION: 3 bays to principal part of house; irregularly fenestrated with bipartite window at ground to right and 3 gablet-headed dormers breaking eaves at 1st floor. Shouldered wallhead stack to right of centre. Scullery outshot to left with timber panelled back door. Plain wall of conservatory extension to outer left. Brick arch adjoining house at SW corner.

Predominantly 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows; some 6- and 18-pane glazing; some windows to S elevation have 2-pane glazing to lower sashes and small-pane glazing to upper sashes. Shouldered wallhead stacks with corniced sandstone coping and red clay cans. Graded grey slate with grey ridge tiles.

INTERIOR: tiled lobby; half-glazed timber panelled door with unusual glazing pattern, bevelled glass, side lights and semicircular fanlight. Hall with timber dado and dentilled cornice; timber panelled staircase with turned balusters. Drawing room: decorative carved timber mantelpiece with central monogram MD (see Notes), carved timber panelling to dado, unusual timber panelled door with brass door furniture, plaster cornice with dentilled and egg and dart mouldings. Dining room: decorative chimneypiece with swagged decoration; pair of dressers flanking chimney breast with cupboards to lower half and diamond-glazed doors to upper half; deep plaster cornice with acanthus moulding. Sitting room with original bell-pull. Kitchen with row of 10 bells on springs (some still working). Upstairs landing with 2 shoulder-arched openings and dentilled cornice. Principal bedroom with decorative timber panelled door (same as drawing room) and deep plaster cornice with acanthus moulding. Original mantelpieces in some bedrooms. Timber panelled interior doors to all rooms (polished towards hall and landing).

GARAGE: 1930s large Art-Deco style Motor House with raised section to centre of front; top-glazed timber-boarded folding doors.

BOUNDARY WALL, GATES AND RAILINGS: flat-coped random rubble boundary wall to road with short railings above; decorative 2-leaf wrought-iron gates. Round-coped random rubble boundary wall to garden.

Statement of Special Interest

A delightful villa, with a very well-preserved and well-detailed interior. Built for Mr Dott, who was the proprietor of the Art Dealership Aitken Dott in North Castle Street. The squirrel and bear carved into the drawing fireplace are said to represent Mr and Mrs Dott. One of their children, Norman Dott was a renowned neuro-surgeon who pioneered developments in surgery at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. His brother Eric was also an eminent doctor, and worked at the Edinburgh Sick Children's Hospital. John Watson was a former pupil and assistant of Sir Robert Rowand Anderson. He spend much time sketching historic Scots architecture for Anderson, and the influence of this is seen in the very castle-like massing of the E elevation of this house. Anderson's influence is also apparent in the fanlight of the front door, which is placed over the lintel. This is a feature found at many of the houses Anderson built in Colinton, most notably at Allermuir.

References

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