Club House, Royal Burgess Golf Course, Whitehouse Road, Barnton, Edinburgh

Club House, Royal Burgess Golf Course, Whitehouse Road, Barnton, Edinburgh

The Club House was designed by Robert Macfarlane Cameron in 1896-97 and is a principal example of late 19th-century golf club architecture. It was altered by Cooper and Taylor Architects in 1904, with further additions made to the rear and sides during the later 20th century.

The main building is a 2-storey, 7-bay structure of near rectangular plan in Jacobean style. It is accompanied by a flat-roofed single-storey 3-bay addition to the right, a single-storey 2-bay advanced wing to the outer right, a 2-storey 3-bay advanced wing to the left, and a flat-roofed single-storey 4-bay addition to the outer left. The exterior is finished with whitewashed harl and half-timbering at first floor level, with red sandstone ashlar dressings throughout. The base features a red sandstone plinth and timber corbel blocks at first floor supporting an overhanging timber bracketed eaves cornice. Red sandstone quoins frame the building, with chamfered surrounds to openings. Ground-floor windows predominantly have stone mullions, whilst first-floor windows are fitted with timber mullions.

The side elevations are constructed of coursed rubble sandstone with crowstepped gables and red sandstone ashlar dressings.

The western (entrance) elevation features a basket-arched 2-bay loggia offset to the right of centre, now partially infilled in the left bay. The loggia is constructed with fluted pilasters, decorative spandrel carving, and projecting capital detailing. The left bay contains a quadripartite glazed window at ground level with a canted window above, and an open alcove at ground in the right bay. The original 2-leaf glazed timber door is set in a recessed re-entrant angle to the left, with a bipartite window aligned above. The date "ANO D 1896" is centred in the apex to the right. Further bays contain a bipartite window at ground with a tripartite window at first floor, flanked by single windows. The left section of the elevation includes tripartite and single windows at ground, with a bipartite window at first floor that breaks the eaves line. A single-storey re-entrant tower to the left contains a timber panelled door facing south-west, fitted with a plate glass fanlight and a small bipartite window at first floor. The advanced wing to the outer right displays bipartite windows at ground with single windows at first floor that break the eaves, and a single window centred in the apex. A recessed single-storey 4-bay addition extends to the north.

Windows are predominantly 4-, 6- and 8-pane timber sash and case types with plate glass and 4-pane lower sashes, except in the infilled loggia which comprises leaded lights, with some leaded detailing retained at first floor. The roof is covered with graded grey slate, featuring red sandstone crowstepped skews and terracotta ridge-tiling, with decorative cast-iron rainwater goods. Ridge stacks are harled with red sandstone quoins, cornices, and circular terracotta cans.

The interior of the Club House displays a consistent Jacobean decorative scheme featuring deep cornicing and carved timber panelling throughout. Fixtures and fittings include elaborate carved and corniced architraves, with original chimneypieces to the formal dining room and boarded timber-lined walls to the changing rooms with built-in timber lockers. A carved and turned baluster timber stair rises through the building, with a stained glass window to the main stair featuring contemporary portraits of golf professionals.

A pitched single-storey rectangular-plan outbuilding measuring 6 bays stands to the north. This store is finished with whitewashed harl and features a timber panelled door with tripartite fanlight at ground to the south elevation, offset to the left of centre, with 2-leaf timber panelled shutters to an attic window above that breaks the eaves. Windows comprise tripartite and single examples at ground level, with a boarded timber door in one bay and sliding boarded timber doors in another. The roof is graded grey slate with terracotta ridge-tiling and cast-iron rainwater goods. A harled ridge stack facing east incorporates a cornice and circular terracotta can, with an ogee-roofed ridge ventilator aligned above the attic window.

A near L-plan, asymmetrical 2-storey 3-bay union house stands to the north-east. It is finished with whitewashed harl, featuring grid half-timbering at first floor and an engaged octagonal canted tower to the east. Bell-cast and cat-slide roofs are employed. The south (entrance) elevation is asymmetrically disposed with a timber panelled door at ground offset to the left of centre, set within a red sandstone architraved surround and flanking timber brackets with an overhanging porch. An attic window aligned above breaks the eaves. A single window at ground lies to the right of the entry, whilst a bay to the outer right contains 5-light canted windows at both floors. Windows are predominantly 8-pane timber sash and case types. The roof is covered with graded grey slate and terracotta ridge-tiling, with cast-iron rainwater goods. A harled central ridge stack incorporates a sandstone cornice and circular terracotta cans.

The boundary wall is constructed of random rubble grey sandstone with round-arched rubble coping. Squared and snecked engaged circular gatepiers flanking the entrance are capped with circular stone caps.