Steading House, Ravelrig House, 527 Lanark Road West, Edinburgh

Steading House, Ravelrig House, 527 Lanark Road West, Edinburgh

A complex of varying dates with probable late 17th and early 18th century foundations, reconstructed in the mid to later 18th century and subject to alterations and demolition in the 19th and 20th centuries. The buildings form a U-plan steading and stable range arranged around a courtyard, open to the north-east, with a stable block to the north-west of the range. Construction is throughout of rubble with ashlar dressings and margins.

STABLES, CARTSHED AND GRANARY BLOCK

This block has an earlier 19th century appearance. It is a five-bay, near-symmetrical, rectangular-plan block aligned south-west to north-east, with a lower L-plan block adjoining at the south-west. The building is single storey with a loft just below the eaves.

The south-east elevation features a slightly advanced, taller gabled bay at the centre. At ground level is a depressed cart-arch with a modern two-leaf boarded door; above this is a former hoist door, now converted to a window. To the right is a two-bay wing in domestic use, with a door and window at ground level and a later window inserted to the left of the door. Windows at loft level are symmetrically disposed, with small-paned windows and a 12-pane sash and case window at ground. The wing to the outer left is now used as garage accommodation, with enlarged access openings fitted with sliding boarded doors. Inside are cast iron and timber stalls; openings at loft level are blocked.

The north-west elevation has a taller gable at the centre with a stone forestair leading to a door at upper level. Loft and granary windows appear in the wing to the left. A two-bay wing to the right contains two broad barred windows at ground, and a small blocked window off-centre to the left at granary level.

The roof is of grey slate with ashlar coping to the deep skews, console skewputts, and slated ridge ventilators.

SINGLE STOREY L-PLAN BLOCK

Attached to the stables at the south-west, this block probably dates from the late 17th or early 18th century, though it was reworked and linked to the stables in the 19th century. It is built of rubble with ashlar margins and dressings.

The south-west elevation shows various alterations, with reconstructed stonework to the left and rubble with harl to the right. It is two bays, with a door to the outer left bearing a 20th century margin but with the lintel of a 19th century door visible. A ventilation slit appears to the right. At centre is a low, blocked door; the rounded ingoes and form of masonry suggest a late 17th or early 18th century date.

The north-east elevation has two doors, the one to the right being smaller and blocked. The south-east elevation has a gable with a ventilation slit and a door to the left of the link block to the stable. The north-west elevation is now blocked but shows evidence of reconstruction.

Curved rubble walls with rubble semicircular coping surround a modern house to the south-west.

SINGLE STOREY BLOCK TO THE SOUTH-EAST OF THE L-PLAN RANGE

Probably dating from the earlier 18th century, this is a square-plan remnant of a former longer single storey rubble building. Original cross walls are exposed at the north, and the west wall of the adjoining range survives, featuring an 18th century raised chamfered margin at the door. A boarded door faces the courtyard with an ashlar margin. Exposed masonry appears at the south gable.

The roof is of pantiles with a deep slate easing course, raised ashlar skews, and an ashlar ridge. A rooflight sits on the west ridge.

STEADING HOUSE

Located at the south-west side of the courtyard, Steading House has an earlier 18th century appearance, though it has undergone later alterations including a change in height. It is a two-storey, two-bay, rectangular-plan block with a modern flat-roofed addition at the rear. Construction is of rubble with ashlar margins and dressings.

The north-west (main) elevation has a door at ground right with a droved margin and modern French door. To the left is a tripartite, wide arched later mullioned window, possibly converted from a cart-arch. Windows at the first floor are symmetrically disposed.

The south-west elevation has a bipartite window at ground left and an original small window above to the outer right. The south-east (rear) elevation contains large windows from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Windows throughout are of four-pane and plate glass sash and case type. The roof is of grey slate with raised ashlar coping to the skews and lead flashings. A modern centre ridge stack is present.