Old High School, Priory Lane, Dunfermline

James A Mercer and F and G Holme, all of Liverpool, 1883-86 together with former High School to NW; gateposts and boundary wall probably slightly later (1898-99 with adjacent former Lauder Technical College). Single storey and attic; 2 and a half-bay; detached lodge for former Dunfermline High School (now flatted). Asymmetrical Scottish Baronial design with crowstepped gables. Coursed snecked rockfaced sandstone with droved sandstone ashlar dressings. Overhanging eaves and crowstepped gables with moulded skewputts throughout; moulded band course over ground floor windows to S elevation and left bay of principal (E) elevation. Long and short surrounds to openings (apart from dormer).

E (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: Caernarvon-arched entrance to centre; boarded timber dooor with shaped fanlight. Gabled bay with finial to left; canted window with ashlar mullions to ground floor; window above with carved panel (incorporating dragons and thistle) at head. Pair of ground floor windows with shared cill to right bay; piended dormer with timber mullion above.

S (PRIORY LANE) ELEVATION: window to right of ground floor; carved monogrammed panel at head. Walled yard adjoins to left; entrance to right.

W ELEVATION: gabled bay with finial projects to right; window to each floor. Blank wall set back to left.

N ELEVATION: blank bay with crowstepped gable

2, 4 and 8-pane timber sash and case windows. Grey slate roof with red ridge tiles. Pair of sandstone stacks with deep coping; one to N gablehead; one to S ridge; round cans.

INTERIOR: not inspected (1998).

GATEPOSTS AND BOUNDARY WALL: pair of coped, square-plan sandstone ashlar gateposts to SE of lodge; each with base course. Flanking low coursed sandstone walls with chamfered ashlar coping; that to right continues across length of former Lauder Technical College to N.