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Summary

Description

Probably 1854, David Cousin. Single storey, roughly T-plan former gate lodge. Coursed squared rubble with long and short quoins. Some moulded surrounds.

Piended multi-pitch roof; grey slates. Coped sandstone ashlar ridge stacks with tall clay cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND GATES: low coped boundary with square plan piers between with chamfered base-course and cornice. Cast-iron railings and gates with foliate decoration.

Statement of Special Interest

A-Group with Dean Cemetery and 69 Dean Path which is a former gate lodge to the Dean Cemetery. The lodge still clearly evidences its former function as a gate lodge to the Dean Cemetery, with the gates and railings to control access retained (2009). The lodge is an important ancillary structure to one of Edinburgh's most significant burial grounds, and plays an important role in marking the entrance to the cemetery from Belford Road.

The Dean Cemetery, with Warriston Cemetery (see separate listing) is Edinburgh's most significant Victorian burial grounds containing some outstanding examples of memorial architecture and sculpture to prominent figures such as William Henry Playfair and Lord Cockburn. The cemetery is the closest example in Edinburgh to the Fir Park Necropolis in Glasgow, although it is richer in sculptural rather than architectural monument. Amongst the most significant is the memorial to Glasgow Magnate James Buchannan, which takes the form of Playfair's choragic monument to Dugald Stewart from Calton Hill, and was designed by William Brodie. The west wall contains a number of monuments to particularly significant men, including Lord Cockburn, Lord Rutherford, Playfair, and Lord Jeffery. The northern extension of 1871 also contains some significant monuments including a large plain obelisk erected to John Russell, editor of the Scotsman. Other monuments contain work by J S Rhind, Sir George Reid and Sir John Steell.

The cemetery was developed in three phases. The first, in 1845, was the most southerly, laid out by David Cousin. The 1871 extension to the N mirrored the original design with large bowed entrance and central avenue. A further addition was planned in 1877 to the N of Ravelston Terrace, but this was not executed until 1909, when it was completed by James Jerdan and Son. The cemetery stands on the site of the former Dean House (1614) which was owned by Lord Provost of Edinburgh Sir William Nisbet. Alexander Nisbet is said to have written Systems of Heraldry in Dean House. The house was demolished in 1845 to make way for the cemetery, with some of the stones incorporated into the boundary walls.

David Cousin was one of the most outstanding architects of his generation, combining private practice with significant civic work, including his role as Superintendant of works to the City of Edinburgh. He won the commission for the Dean Cemetery through a competition. In the early 1840s he had become a specialist in the layout of cemeteries, predominantly in the Gothic style. This makes his predominantly classical design for the Dean Cemetery more unusual. His choice of the classical style may be linked to his change in religious affiliations during the disruption where he joined the newly formed Free Church, for whom he prepared standard Italianate round-arched church designs which could be built quickly and cheaply. Cousin was also the architect for Warriston cemetery (see separate listing).

Split from Dean Cemetery listing and category changed from B to C(S) as part resurvey (2009).

References

Bibliography

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