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Summary

Description

Earlier 19th century. 2-storey, 3-bay coaching inn with rear range, stable range and single storey extension attached. Coursed sandstone rubble and ashlar with long and short quoins. Crowstepped gables with beaked skewputts.

NE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: timber door set within pair of Tuscan columns supporting projecting architraved plinth-block and 1st storey crowstepped gablehead with central window and squared finial surmounting, tripartite window to flanks of advanced central bay to ground floor; dormer window above to outer bays; blind wall to left return, 2-bay 2-storey gable end with gablehead stack to right return, 8-bay single storey extension to right (comprising bay, 4-bay projection, 2-bay, single recessed bay) with semi-glazed door to right return. Modern single storey entrance porch (to left of main entrance block, in-filling former courtyard entrance): entrance door within pair of Tuscan columns supporting architraved canopy to left, menu boarding to right; triple bay gable end with wallhead stack to left, adjoining single storey crowstepped range to far left, adjoining SE range to form courtyard.

SE ELEVATION: ground floor hidden by new entrance to right, 4-bays of arched dormers to 1st floor, adjoining SW range to left return and rear of main block to right return. Further regularly fenestrated stable range to SE with gablehead stacks and crowstepped gables.

SW (REAR) ELEVATION: not seen, 2002.

NW ELEVATION: single storey extension obscuring most of original elevation, single dormer bay to 1st floor left, fire exit to right, gable matching right return of main elevation adjoining to right.

6-pane timber sash and case in tripartite windows, 8-pane timber sash and case to 1st floor and later extension. Gabled grey slate roof with flat-roofed later extension. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Diagonally set square gablehead corniced flues with plain round cans.

INTERIOR: now a refurbished hotel, although some original features remain.

Statement of Special Interest

Sited to the north of Thomas Telford's Lothian Bridge, the former coaching inn is likely to have been built to service the then new road through the parish. Now the A68, the road was constructed in 1838 to replace a smaller one (used by coaches travelling between Edinburgh and the Borders) that divided the neighbouring estates of Oxenfoord and Chesterhall. Instrumental in the road's creation was Sir John Dalrymple, the Convenor of Roads in the district, he later became the Earl of Stair. He lived at Oxenfoord Castle whose policies skirt the property. Much building activity occurred at this time including Oxenfoord Middle Lodge and the Home Farm (also part of Sir John Dalrymple estate) sited to the north-west and listed separately, which share similar architectural details with the Stair Arms.

References

Bibliography

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