Sundial, Corstorphinehill House, Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh

Sundial, Corstorphinehill House, Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh

A baronial mansion house built in 1793 as a 2-storey, 3-bay classical villa, extensively altered and additions made in 1891 under architect A W Macnaughton to create an irregular-plan Scottish baronial composition. The 1793 house is constructed in rubble sandstone, while the later additions are of squared, snecked and stugged red sandstone. The building features crowstepped gables, ball finials, and crenellated parapets.

The north (entrance) elevation of the 1793 house displays a base, cill and dividing band course. A crenellated porch dating to 1891 occupies the ground floor of the outer left bay, adjoining the 1891 extension, with a lugged architraved doorway containing a carved heraldic decorative crest set in a pediment and 2-leaf panelled timber door. A single window sits behind at first floor with a crowstepped dormer above. The advanced central bay contains a pilastered and corniced tripartite window at ground level and a single window at first floor, flanked to the left by a small window. A later stepped corbel table tops a single window set in the gablehead. Single windows occupy both storeys in the outer right bay.

The south elevation features a base, cill and dividing band course. A perron staircase leads to a doorway flanked by two single windows in a bowed central bay, with three single windows to the first floor above. A corbel table supports the later third floor containing three roll-moulded windows beneath a machicolated and crenellated parapet. A circular-plan turret with similarly detailed parapet rises from this elevation. Single windows at all floors occupy the left bay. The outer right bay was rebuilt in 1891 with a tripartite window to the principal floor, bipartite window to first floor, and a single window breaking the eaves within a pedimented dormerhead.

The 1891 house addition is 3-storey and 2-bay on its north elevation. A stepped string course marks the top of the ground floor and a stepped corbel table defines the first floor level. Stone mullions and transoms frame the windows. The crenellated porch is set in a re-entrant angle to the 1793 house. A bipartite window at ground level in the right bay is topped by a tripartite stair window and a single dormer window with pedimented head breaking the eaves. The left bay contains bipartite windows at ground and first floor levels, with an oriel window set in the gablehead.

The east elevation comprises two crowstepped gable bays. The left bay displays tripartite windows to ground and first floor, with a single pedimented window set in the gable and a bartisan with pepperpot roof. A roll-moulded doorway with fanlight sits to its left, adjacent to a single window at ground level in the outer right bay. A dormer and single window at ground occupy the right bay, with decorative carved pediments framing the first floor and gablehead windows. A bartisan with pepperpot roof flanks the outer right bay. Two gablehead stacks are linked by a machicolated parapet.

The south elevation features a single bay to the outer right, 2-storey with a 4-light canted window and two single windows breaking the eaves in pedimented dormers above, flanked on the left by a bartisan with pepperpot roof. A single bay to the outer left adjoins the 1793 house at ground level, containing a single pedimented window in the gable to the left with two dormers breaking eaves to the right.

The west elevation presents an M-gabled form with the 1793 house and later additions adjoining at ground level. A single window at second floor in the central bay is flanked by dormer windows breaking the eaves.

A lower 2-storey service wing adjoins the 1793 house to the west, dating to 1891. A single-storey flat-roofed cafeteria designed by Frank Mears (1936-7) adjoins this wing, featuring horizontal strip glazing divided by stylo pilasters to its south elevation.

The roofing comprises graded grey slate with terracotta ridging, corniced gablehead stacks, moulded cans, and cast-iron rainwater goods. Windows are predominantly timber sash and case with a variety of glazing patterns.

The interior contains a glazed cupola to the entrance lobby. The stair-hall features a highly decorative timber fireplace with Corinthian columns and relief panel. The main stair incorporates turned timber balusters and decorative newel posts. Stained glass windows depicting the Arts are present, and ground floor timber dado panelling survives. The first floor restaurant displays highly decorative plasterwork with cornice and frieze, an elaborate rococo chimneypiece, overmantle mirror, and panelling.

A sundial is located to the south of the house, consisting of a circular shaft with vertical dial and gnomon.