St Hilda's, 81 Kirk Brae, Edinburgh

St Hilda's, located at 81 Kirk Brae in Edinburgh, is a building that likely dates back to the early 19th century, with alterations and additions made in the mid and late 19th century that have resulted in a complex layout. Originally a school, it was converted into housing around 1945. The structure consists of two and three stories, featuring a flat-roofed two-storey wing that fills a central courtyard, and a large mansard roof with corner bartizans in the attic. The exterior is constructed from squared and coursed ashlar stone with polished ashlar dressings. The windows are a mix of sash and case styles, including some with plate glass, some with a 12-pane glazing pattern, and some modern replacements in the attic.

On the west elevation, there is a flat-roofed porch with a cornice and a blocking course, leading to a door in a re-entrant section to the north, which has a small-paned strip fanlight. Above, there are three windows at the first floor. To the south, a taller pavilion features a canted bay that rises through three floors, with dormers in the attic. The lower two-storey pavilion to the north has two windows on each floor and dormers in the attic.

The north elevation has three bays, each slightly advanced with a corbel at the eaves. The central bay may belong to the earlier building and has a late 19th-century canted bay addition, alongside a large ground-floor and canted first-floor window to the left, which adjoins a slightly lower block to the east. The outer right bay is also slightly advanced and features a canted window spanning two floors, piended at the cornice. There are three very large dormers in the attic.

The east elevation shows exposed random rubble, suggesting that the L-plan block to the right is an earlier house, which is two-storey with a later attic. It includes a square three-stage stair tower at the angle, with a two-leaf door at the ground level, windows above, and a slated pyramidal roof with pedimented lucarnes. Some 12-pane sash and case windows remain. To the left, a taller three-storey and attic range has four-pane sash and case windows and dormers in the mansard roof.

The mansard is covered with grey slates, and there are slated turrets to the south and west topped with finials. The boundary walls, made of rubble, are coped and extend along Springwood Park and Kirk Brae, with modern gatepiers.

Inside, some original details from the school interior can still be found in the northern rooms.