Faith Mission And Bible College, 2 Drum Street, Gilmerton, Edinburgh

The building at 2 Drum Street, Gilmerton, Edinburgh, is a complex dating from 1903, originally built as Dr Guthrie’s Girls Industrial School. A further addition was designed by Esme Gordon in 1962. The original building is two storeys and arranged in a U-plan, with a chapel adjoined to the left wing at a right angle to the rear. A two-storey Z-plan addition extends to the north.

The exterior is predominantly harled with red sandstone polished ashlar dressings, a base course, and margined quoins. The front elevation features a recessed two-storey centre block flanked by projecting gabled wings. Each wing has a window to each floor set within an ashlar panel. The south wing has a pedimented stone bipartite window at ground floor and a timber bipartite window at first floor, with a round-headed pediment. The north wing has a timber tripartite window at ground floor, a similar window above, and slit openings to the gableheads. The wings are linked at ground floor by a single-storey flat-roofed range with a stone balustrade, broken by a pedimented porch leading to a staircase with wrought-iron railings. The front door is within a moulded, round-arched surround with a keystone carved with a cherub, flanked by engaged Ionic columns. A name and date plaque is set into the tympanum above the door, with initials in a cartouche. The inner door and screen are half-glazed with margined glazing. The first floor is recessed, with the centre bay advanced and gabled, framed by two tall wallhead stacks with diamond-set flues. A tall, pedimented window provides access to a balcony, with a small tripartite window to the gablehead. Two stone-mullioned bipartites flank the balcony window. Two windows are present to the returns of the wings. A cornice and stone balustrade run around the tops of the wings, finished with ball finials.

The rear of the building features two-storey projecting wings forming a central courtyard, currently with steel roof trusses supporting a temporary canvas roof. A single-storey gabled chapel, with a timber belfry, adjoins the rear at a right angle and is in use as a dining hall.

The building has timber sash and case windows with small-pane glazing. Other original features include ashlar-margined angled skews, shouldered wallhead stacks, a red roof, and ridge tiles.

The 1962 addition is a lower, two-storey wing adjoining the north side, with a principal elevation facing the road, comprising nine irregular bays. Three of these bays have ornamental terracotta panels to the window aprons, bearing the date 1965. The range continues westwards. A boiler house and outbuildings are located to the rear of the complex.

The interior includes a grand entrance hall with a central cupola and a heavy cornice. A screen to the main corridor features Ionic columns in antis and paired pilasters, supporting a central vault. Barrel-vaulted corridors run north and south.

A low ashlar coped boundary wall marks the edge of the property along Gilmerton Road.