Main building including chapel, Craiglockhart Campus, Napier University, 219 Colinton Road, Edinburgh

The former Craiglockhart Hydropathic Institution was designed by Peddie and Kinnear and built between 1877 and 1880. It is a large Italianate hotel building of three storeys with basement and attic, featuring a five-storey central square tower and four-storey end wings. A chapel extension to the south was added in 1933 by Reginald Fairlie, assisted by J. Chisholm Cameron. The building stands at the corner of Colinton Road and Glenlockhart Road within extensive grounds, with its main elevation facing Colinton Road.

The main building, completed in 1880, has an H-shaped plan with projecting wings to the rear. It is classically proportioned and constructed of yellow random coursed ashlar sandstone. Deep overhanging eaves are supported by regularly spaced decorative timber brackets. The slate roofs are piended on the central tower and end wings, with pitched roofs on the three-storey ranges. Glazed cupolas sit over the two service stairs. Tall ashlar sandstone chimney stacks with circular cans are arranged symmetrically: four at the gablehead on the central tower and end wings, and a single ridge stack on each three-storey range. The building has continuous cill courses, with moulded eaves courses on the central tower and end wings. Window openings on the north, west and south elevations have flush margins, while those to the rear (east) have projecting margins. The windows are historic square-headed timber sash and case units, mostly one-over-one, two-over-two and four-over-two panes, with the exception of small square casements on the fourth floor of the central tower. The basement is concealed below ground level at the front but visible to the rear.

The front (west) elevation is largely symmetrical. A stone balustraded balcony supported on pairs of stone corbels runs at first floor level. At second floor, the three-storey ranges have regularly spaced windows separated by Doric pilasters.

The projecting central tower is five bays wide. At ground level, the central three bays project and feature a central projecting pedimented entrance with 20th century timber and glass double doors. Rising above the entrance is a two-storey four-light canted bay. The third floor has five symmetrically arranged windows separated by four Doric engaged columns. Above this is a shallow attic space with five symmetrically arranged square windows. The roof is topped by an open-sided iron loggia surrounded by decorative iron railings.

The projecting end wings are four storeys and symmetrical. Rising from ground floor, they each have a central three-storey five-light canted bay. The third floor comprises an attic storey with five symmetrically spaced windows separated by Doric pilasters. The north and south elevations have detailing similar to the main elevation, with the addition of a single-storey corridor attached to the south elevation leading to the chapel.

The majority of the interior was inspected in 2018. Alterations and additions have reduced the overall integrity of the interior, but numerous original elements survive throughout the building. The entrance hall has a chequered floor, a green glazed tile Italianate drinking fountain, and decorative egg and dart cornice. The entrance hall opens onto a wide transverse corridor lined with Doric engaged pilasters supporting a dentiled entablature. At ground floor, the rear (east) wall has been removed between the engaged pilasters, creating multiple regularly spaced openings into the large 2004 extension to the east. Beyond double doors, the transverse corridor continues with a coffered ceiling decorated with geometric strapwork. At either end of the corridor are principal staircases of stone with elaborately detailed iron balusters and timber handrails. These staircases provide access to the first and second floors and are lit by tripartite windows in the rear (east) wall. Secondary service stairs are situated adjacent to the principal stairs. These provide access to all floors and are formed of cast iron balusters and timber handrails. The building retains largely all of its skirting boards, picture rails, presses, architraves, doors, windows and staircases. In several ground floor rooms, timber panelling and fireplaces are retained.

The two-storey chapel and single-storey access corridor were added in 1933. The chapel is built in a modern Romanesque style with a rectangular aisleless plan, a semi-circular east end, and a canted entrance porch to the west. The canted porch and west gable are formed of red rough snecked rubble walls, while the rest of the chapel and transepts are white rendered. Yellow sandstone is used for window and door margins, string courses and cornice.

The main (west) elevation comprises a two-storey canted porch. The entrance is formed of timber double doors with copper ironmongery, surrounded by moulded margins and a projecting cornice with a central dated shield (1933). At first floor is a projecting empty niche with a decorative pedestal. The entrance is flanked by small rectangular diamond leaded metal casement windows. Above each window are two yellow sandstone decorative bas-relief roundels. The roof is piended with grey slate. The north side of the porch has a single-storey corridor attaching the chapel to the main building. Attached to the south of the porch is a small single-storey 21st century addition providing ramped access. The porch is attached to the two-storey west gable of the chapel, which has a copper crucifix at the apex.

The chapel is six bays long and has a pitched copper roof. The north and south elevations have six symmetrically arranged round-headed multi-pane metal windows.

The east end of the chapel terminates in a square three-storey tower with a semi-circular single-storey east end addition. The upper storey of the north and south elevations has a pair of round-headed multi-pane metal windows separated by a decorative bas-relief roundel. The tower roof is copper and pitched, while the semi-circular east end has a slate-covered conical roof.

Abutting the tower at ground level to the north and south elevations are single-storey transepts. The south transept is small, with two rectangular diamond leaded metal casement windows to the west, a door to the south, and three rectangular diamond leaded metal casement windows to the east. The north transept is larger and has a basement with light-well to the east. Its east elevation has four round-headed multi-pane metal windows, with three to the north elevation. The west elevation has been incorporated into the 21st century additions.

The majority of the chapel and single-storey access corridor interior were inspected in 2018. The chapel is a double-height space formed of three sections: the nave, the transepts and the altar. The chapel is decorated plainly with richer decoration focused on the altar. Unlike the Hydropathic building, the interior of the chapel survives largely unchanged from the time it was designed and constructed.

The nave of the chapel is formed of seven concrete arches spanning the width of the building. At ground floor level, the arches are encased, forming pilasters with capitals which give the impression of a series of stone columns carrying a barrel roof. Within the nave is timber parquet flooring, along with a half-timber panel scheme, inbuilt timber seating, and an organ and balcony at the west end. The crossing, with transepts to the north and south, is separated from the nave by a low altar rail with a gate. The crossing is within the three-storey tower, which has a domed ceiling and is top-lit with round-headed windows. There are projecting carved stone sculptures on the first floor north and south walls, and the floor of the crossing has multiple colours of polished stone laid in a geometric pattern. The grey polished stone altar is within a classical round-arched single-storey semi-circular niche, set on a three-step plinth at the east end. The niche is decorated in multiple colours of polished stone in a geometric pattern, with a half dome ceiling covered in gold leaf.

The interior of the transepts were not inspected in 2018.

The single-storey access corridor to the chapel is six bays long, formed of red rough snecked rubble walls with yellow sandstone margins and a slated pitched roof. The west symmetrical elevation has doors at the outer bays and four rectangular diamond leaded metal casement windows to the centre. The east elevation has been incorporated into the 21st century additions. The interior of the entrance corridor to the chapel is formed of floor-sprung barrel vaults interspersed on the west side with windows and on the east with doors onto the 21st century extension. The corridor has timber skirting, doors and architraves, with a decorated cornice. Accessed off the corridor is a tight circular metal staircase which provides access to the organ balcony.

To the north of the main 1880 building is a 20th century open-sided structure housing an altar. The gable-fronted, splay-sided, red brick structure has a pitched roof covered in terracotta roof tiles. The structure has open sides with decorative metal gates. The main (west) elevation has an open arch providing access to the altar. Either side of the arch are decorative sandstone female sculptures, with a decorative sandstone roundel to the centre. The altar has a simple design, constructed of brick and polished stone. The altar sits on a stepped plinth above the surrounding landscape.

The boundary of the site is formed by a coped stone wall. At the corner of Glenlockhart Road and Colinton Road, a low coped stone wall supports highly decorative cast iron panelled railings. The same decorative cast iron pattern is used for double gates leading to a former access drive onto Colinton Road.

In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997, the following are excluded from the listing: the early 21st century extensions to the east.