33 Mortonhall Road, Edinburgh

33 Mortonhall Road, Edinburgh

A 2-storey house with basement and single-storey service block to the north-east, designed by John Kinross of Kinross and Tarbolton in 1898. The building sits on steeply falling ground and is almost square in plan. It is styled as a Scottish 17th-century villa, with a principal block that features gabled dormerheads breaking the eaves at intervals.

The house is constructed in rake-jointed rubble sandstone with contrasting ashlar dressings. Windows have roll-moulded surrounds that are stop-chamfered at the cills and are generously proportioned on the ground floor and south elevation. The principal gables are crowstepped with beak skewputts.

The north elevation is the main front, presenting three bays with the service wing slightly advanced on the outer left. A roll-moulded surround frames the central doorway, above which sits a finely carved floriate panel. The door is of teak board with a decorative brass handle. Windows flank the central entrance, with the left-hand bay being a broad, lop-sided gabled bay. The first-floor window here sits within a moulded surround and has a decorative trapezoid pediment bearing the monogram IKM. Gabled dormerhead windows break the eaves above the entrance and above the right-hand bay. The service block to the left has two closely grouped windows with a projecting surround and a long sweep to the roof above.

The south elevation features gabled outer bays, the left of which is advanced, flanking a narrow stair bay at the centre. French windows at the centre have a forestair to a lower landing. A blank cartouche appears above the window to the upper landing under the eaves. Windows to each floor occupy the flanking bays, those on the principal floor having slender-pilastered surrounds with cornices, moulded cills, small block finials and fleuron bosses above. First-floor windows break into the gableheads.

The west elevation has a gabled bay to the left, slightly recessed with a gablehead stack. The centre bay contains a small window at ground level and another breaking the eaves above. The outer right bay has canted ashlar windows with leaded lights to the basement. The principal-floor window to this bay is taller and jettied on a billetted corbel course, with a cornice and ornamented parapet. A heraldic panel is carved under the wallhead stack between the centre and outer right bays.

The east elevation features a gabled bay of the lower service block advanced to the right, with basement windows serving the falling ground. Windows light the scullery and former maid's room above, with a door and window to the basement on the return to the left and a blank panel under the eaves. The bay to the left is gabled with a slightly advanced chimney breast and a window in a moulded panel with trapezoid pediment matching those on the north elevation.

Windows throughout are small-pane and multi-pane sash and case windows of generous proportions, with some leaded casements to the basement. The roof is covered in Westmoreland slates with ashlar ridge tiles. Moulded coping crowns the gablehead and wallhead stacks.

The interior displays finest-quality materials and craftsmanship throughout, much realised by Scott Morton and Co. The vestibule and hall floors are of inlaid marble, with parquet floors elsewhere. Doors are marquetry with fine brass fittings. The dining room is panelled. Decorative 17th to 18th-century style plasterwork runs throughout, executed by Harold Ogle and Tarbolton and Sam Wilson, featuring coombed and barrel-vaulted ceilings. Fine, classically detailed chimneypieces in various marbles grace the reception rooms, with some timber examples to the bedrooms. Built-in cupboards and fitted pantries enhance the interior. A marble staircase with decorative wrought-iron balustrade serves the house.

The boundary walls, steps, gates, gatepiers and railings are all original. The coursed sandstone rubble boundary walls, 16 inches in diameter, have saddleback ashlar coping. Panelled dies with moulded coping and ball finials terminate the wall sections. Ashlar steps ascend to the side and rear. Panelled ashlar corniced piers support railings and gates to the entrance elevation, with decorative wrought-iron railings and a gate with overthrow by Thomas Hadden. Decorative wrought-iron lamp posts by Thomas Hadden, dating to circa 1898, bear spherical lights and are sited by the main entrance.

A 1930s free-standing garage has been added to the west side at the north, replacing the original bicycle house. It is constructed in a reasonably sympathetic manner to the principal building.