The Old School House, Cowpits Road, Inveresk

Circa 1880. Former school and schoolhouse in unusual

design, in powerful Victorian Gothic vein. Currently

entirely residential, with modern additions. Stugged,

squared and snecked sandstone with ashlar dressings and

base course; chamfered arrises to openings. Plan

comprised of 3 interlocked, gabled blocks;

schoolmaster's house originally in westmost single

storey and attic block, with schoolrooms in tall

single storey blocks at centre and to E. Stone mullions.

CENTRE BLOCK: entrance bay in single storey form,

recessed at centre of N elevation, linking tall

classroom swept-up behind and flanking blocks. Doorway

in gabled bay with stepped hoodmould, panelled door and

narrow, letterbox fanlight, and with narrow windows

flanking. S elevation projecting with tall gabled bay,

marked by 4-light and transomed window with pointed

arch panel above centre lights; flanked originally by

slightly recessed lean-to stone porches (1 remaining to

E, modern sunroom inserted to W), with doorway on return

sides.

FORMER SCHOOLMASTER'S HOUSE: single storey and attic.

Hoodmoulded windows at ground. Bipartite window above;

rear elevation obscured by modern sunroom. W elevation

3-bay, with regrettable modern block projecting at

centre, single windows in flanking bays, and gabled

dormers above. Moulded stack with cornice at wallhead

by entrance bay, and at S gable wallhead.

E BLOCK: tall block with tall, Y-traceried, hoodmoulded

pointed window to gabled N elevation, with trefoil

ventilation panel at apex; rear elevation intercepted

by centre block, and formerly with window detailed

similarly to that on N, currently divided by internal

insertion of floor, and with modern window below. 2 tall

panels to E elevation, each blinded with window, in

lower half to right panel, in upper half to left. Stack

(detailed as above) on mutual wallhead.

Variety of glazing patterns; large square panes to S

schoolroom window, and with tracery pattern above in

pointed arch windows; plate glass sash and case and

modern glazing to remaining windows. Patera details in

gableheads of main doorway and dormers. Ashlar coped

skews and decorative skewputts. Grey slates.

RETAINING WALL: rubble retaining wall, with sections of

ashlar and semi-circular coping.