Boundary Walls And Gate-Piers, Abden House, Pollock Halls Of Residence, Edinburgh

This is a two-storey with basement and attic Jacobean-style mansion, built in 1855 by Thomas Davies. It is situated within the Pollock Halls of Residence in Edinburgh and is accompanied by single-storey wings extending to the north and south.

The main block of the house is constructed from cream sandstone rubble with ashlar dressings. Key architectural details include a base course, roll-moulded architraves, an eaves cornice, a parapet, and curvilinear gables. Decorative carved strapwork is featured on the dormerheads, as well as on the porch cornices and the south wing. The gables and dormerheads are finished with carved star, flower, fleur-de-lys, and thistle finials.

The west-facing (entrance) elevation has a three-bay main block with an advanced bay to the left. An enclosed, advanced porch sits in the re-entrant angle, with steps leading to an architraved doorway displaying strapwork above. A two-leaf panelled door is set within the doorway, flanked by windows on both floors. Dormers are positioned above. A smaller window is located between the floors in the advanced bay to the left, alongside two smaller basement windows.

The east-facing elevation similarly features a three-bay arrangement, with an advanced bay to the right. This bay incorporates a tall, three-light canted window at ground level and a bipartite window above, adorned with strapwork carving on the cornice. An attic window is also present, likewise with strapwork carving. Tall single windows are positioned on the ground floor of the left bays, with further windows and dormers on the upper floors.

The south wing, a single-storey structure, has a flat roof and advances to the west and east. It features a canted projection to the west with a blank central wall and flanking windows. A full-height, three-light canted window is centrally located on the east side, topped by a pierced parapet, and a blank wall faces south.

The north wing is a single-storey, irregular plan incorporating a garage and a later conservatory to the west, and presenting as two bays to the east.

The windows are predominantly small-paned, timber, sash and case designs. The roof is grey slate, with corniced, octagonal wallhead and ridge stacks, some featuring fluted flues and decorative capitals.

Inside, the mansion retains many original features, including an oak-panelled porch and entrance hall, the latter boasting an ornate cornice and a deeply coffered ceiling with circular designs. Two "History Rooms" face the gardens and hillside to the east. The north room has reeded plasterwork panelling, panelled doors, a black marble fireplace, and ornate cornice and ceiling. The south room, a drawing room, features panelled walls with some panels hand-painted to depict oriental scenes of flowers and birds, alongside full-height mirrors creating an illusion of space. It also contains a marble fireplace with a decorative surround, complemented by delicately moulded plasterwork, including a floral frieze, ornate cornice, and strapwork ceiling.

The estate is enclosed by a high rubble boundary wall and has a pair of stugged, channelled gatepiers with pyramidal caps and ball finials, situated at Marchhall Place.