Royal Blind Asylum And School, West Savile Road, Newington, Edinburgh

Charles Leadbetter, 1874; 20th century additions and alterations.

3 storey and attic, French-style former asylum with central entrance tower and flanking wings; 1960s extension adjoining to W and recent glazed extension to rear. Squared and snecked cream rubble sandstone with polished ashlar dressings. Base course; dividing band courses above ground and 1st floor windows; cill course to 1st floor windows; eaves course; cornice.

S (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: 4 stage circular plan tower with flanking 4 bay linking blocks and advanced terminal blocks. Tower with central porch incorporating round arched doorway; 2 leaf panelled outer door; plate glass fanlight; flanking slender engaged columns; carved heraldic panel above door depicting rampant lion and unicorn; flanking single windows; single windows to 2nd stage above set in lugged architraves; single round arched windows to 3rd stage with carved floral garlands between; octagonal 4th stage with windows set in round arched panels and crenellated parapet incorporating clock faces. Linking blocks adjoining to left and right; regular fenestration with pitched roofed dormers above. Terminal blocks; central tripartite windows to ground and 1st floors; bipartite windows to 2nd floor; dormers with round arched pediments.

E ELEVATION: 5 bay with 3 central bays advanced; bipartite windows to ground, 1st and 2nd floors; tripartite windows to M gabled attic to central bays; pedimented dormers to outer bays.

Plate glass PVCu pivot windows. Grey slate roofs; corniced ridge stacks.

INTERIOR: completely remodelled with no original features remaining.

BOUNDARY WALLS: low coped boundary wall to street; replacement railings.

GATE LODGE (CRAIGMILLAR PARK): single storey irregular-plan lodge with circular entrance tower to NE angle. Cream sandstone squared and snecked rubble with ashlar dressings. Base course; heraldic panel above doorway; eaves course; cornice. Irregular fenestration.

4 pane timber sash and case windows. Grey slate pitched roof; fish scale slating to conical roof; corniced wallhead stack.

INTERIOR: not seen 1996.