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

Thomas Davies, 1855. 2-storey with basement and attic, 3-bay, irregular-plan, Jacobean mansion; single storey wings adjoining to N and S. Squared and snecked cream sandstone rubble with ashlar dressings. Base course; roll-moulded architraves; eaves cornice and parapet; curvilinear gables and dormerheads; decorative, carved strapwork set in dormerheads; further strapwork to cornices of porch and single storey wing to S; carved star, flower, fleur-de-lys, and thistle finials to gable and dormerheads.

W (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: MAIN BLOCK: 3-bay with advanced bay to left; advanced, enclosed porch in re-entrant angle; steps up to architraved doorway with strapwork carving directly above; deep set, 2-leaf panelled door; single window above and to both floors in bays to outer right;

2 dormers above. Single windows between floors in advanced bay to outer left with 2 small windows to basement.

E ELEVATION: 3-bay; advanced bay to outer right with tall, 3-light canted window at ground; bipartite window to 1st floor above with strapwork carving above cornice; single attic window also with strapwork carving. Tall single windows to ground floor in bays to outer left; single windows and dormers to floors above.

SINGLE STOREY WING TO S: flat roof; advanced to W and E; canted to W with blank central wall and single windows in flanking bays; central, full-height, 3-light, canted window to E with pierced parapet above; blank wall to S.

SINGLE STOREY WING TO N: irregular-plan incorporating garage and later conservatory to W; 2-bay to E.

Variety of small-paned, timber, sash and case windows. Grey slate roofs; corniced, octagonal wallhead and ridge stacks with fluted flues, some with decorative capitals.

INTERIOR: fine interior with many original features remaining: oak panelled porch and ENTRANCE HALL, the latter with ornate cornice and ceiling; deeply coffered with circular designs to square central panels. 2 "HISTORY ROOMS" facing gardens and hillside to E: to N with reeded panels to plasterwork; panelled doors; simply carved, black marble fireplace; ornate cornice and ceiling. To S the drawing room; panelled walls, some panels handpainted silk featuring oriental scenes of flowers and birds, others full-height mirrors giving an illusory sense of space; marble fireplace with decorative surround featuring pulvinated friezes and cornice; delicately moulded plasterwork throughout including floral frieze, ornate cornice and strapwork ceiling.

GATEPIERS AND BOUNDARY WALLS: pair of stugged, channelled gatepiers with pyramidal caps and ball finials to Marchhall Place; high rubble boundary wall surrounding estate.