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Summary

Description

Gordon Lorimer Wright, 1908. 3-storey, L-plan college and dormitory building in mixed late Arts and Crafts style with Beaux-Art details, set back from street with associated landscaped and terraced garden. Snecked red sandstone squared rubble to (N and W) principal elevations; rendered to SW corner and rear; red sandstone ashlar margins, doorways, canted windows, cills and lintels. Prominent Doric round-arched porch with entablature and scrolled wrought iron gate to N. Irregular fenestration; cat-slide, shouldered, bell-cast dormers.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: integral chapel, with stained glass window of Christ the Light of the World by William Hole. Red sandstone ashlar balustraded garden terrace to W; channelled ashlar piers terminated with fluted urns.

Predominantly 15-pane glazing pattern in timber sash and case windows; transomed lattice windows. Tall squared rubble and rendered chimney stacks. Graded slates; terracotta ridge tiles.

INTERIOR: good Edwardian Arts and Crafts decorative scheme in place. Mahogany stair with carved lion newel posts. Good Arts and Crafts ironmongery throughout. Coffered timber ceiling to chapel.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND RAILINGS PANELS: low stone wall with red sandstone copes rising in quadrant curved sections to form gatepiers. Highly decorative cast-iron panels with curvilinear detailing at intervals along wall.

Statement of Special Interest

An important, largely unaltered, example of late Arts and Crafts design combining elements of Beaux-Arts. It is also a relatively unusual building type, designed specifically as the United Free Church Training Institute for Lady Missionaries. A number of competent architectural details were influenced by the architect's training at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and his later work at J J Burnet's practice.

Gordon Lorimer Wright attended the Ecole des Beaux Arts from 1897 to 1899, returning to the office of J J Burnett in 1901. He subsequently began an independent practice from 1902, working mainly in Edinburgh.

The gardens were landscaped by Norah Geddes, daughter of Patrick Geddes, who was also responsible for laying out the Scottish National Zoological Park. Miss Geddes participated in the formal opening ceremony of 22 October 1909. The Norah Geddes association combined with the stained glass window by William Hole (his only known work in that medium) illustrates a link with a slightly bohemian element of Edinburgh society at the time.

The building houses an interesting archive detailing the history of the Lady Missionaries through a weekly journal from 1894 along with extensive photographs.

The original decorative cast iron gates are currently stored on site following vehicle damage to the stone gatepiers.

References

Bibliography

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