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Summary

Description

Circa 1885. Single-storey, 3-bay former centrepiece of William Adam's Royal Infirmary (now house, see Notes). Flat-roofed with large carved bracket scrolls flanking SW elevation. Polished ashlar, chanelled to NE. Base course, eaves cornice and blocking course. Panelled pilasters to SW; central timber panelled door in architrave frame; windows to outer bays with similar architrave frames. Large flanking bracket scrolls heavily carved with foliate and floreate decoration. Central semicircular niche with prominent keystone to NW elevation; advanced semicircular shelf supported on shell-like corbel and inscribed GEORGIVS II REX (see Notes); flanking Roman Ionic columns; small pediment above. Regularly fenestrated to NE; small semicircular pediment to centre. SE elevation obscured by modern lean-to roof; small pediment to centre supported on single Ionic column; dentiled cornice. Modern glazing; felted flat roof.

Statement of Special Interest

the Royal Infirmary was an important work by William Adam, demolished in 1884. It was a U-plan building, fairly plain for the sake of economy, but with a frontispiece comprising four engaged giant Ionic columns to the 1st and 2nd floors, and a 3-bay attic storey with French roof, lantern, and flanking bracket scrolls. This latter was the operating theatre, and the lantern housed a winch for hoisting patients from floor to floor. Drummond Scrolls comprises this attic storey, although it is unfortunately missing its balustraded roof.

R.A. Macfie of Dreghorn house was a collector of architectural antiques, and bought most of the ornamental stonework from the Infirmary when it was demolished. Drummond Scrolls was re-erected by Macfie as his stable block The niche in the NW elevation was originally at the centre of the 2nd floor of the infirmary, and held a statue of George II by John Cheere (1759). The statue is currently at the present Royal Infirmary in Lauriston Place. The giant Ionic columns from the 1st and 2nd floors of the infirmary now form the Covenanters Monument, on the other side of Redford Road. Drummond Scrolls was renovated for domestic use in the 1960s.

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