Sundial, Arniston House

Arniston House is an exceptionally fine Palladian country house, begun by William Adam between 1726 and 1733. The west jamb and orangery were added by John Adam between 1754 and 1758, the porch by Wardrop and Reid in 1872, and the north pediment was rebuilt by Robert Rowand Anderson in the late 19th century. The house comprises a three-storey-and-basement, nine-bay corps de logis connected by two-storey, three-bay links to two-storey, three-bay pavilions. The principal material is tooled coursed pinkish sandstone rubble, originally harled, with polished dressings; the wings are random rubble. Throughout, there is a base course, a dividing band course between the basement and ground floors, long-and-short V-jointed rusticated quoins, relieving arches, and a moulded eaves course.

NORTH (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION

The north elevation is symmetrical.

Corps de logis: the bays are grouped 2-5-2. A single-storey, three-bay tooled coursed ashlar porch, advanced to the centre of the ground floor and added in 1872 by Wardrop and Reid, has a round-arched doorway to the centre with a Gibbs surround, flanked by engaged Tuscan columns and surmounted by an open pediment enclosing a scrolled cartouche bearing the initials "RD" (for Robert Dundas). The door itself is a two-leaf panelled timber door. The flanking bays of the porch have round-arched niches with Gibbs surrounds on Tuscan pilasters, and the angles have clasping Tuscan blocked pilaster buttresses. The left and right returns have Venetian windows and blocked pilasters to the angles, with a continuous moulded cornice and coped balustrade. Round-arched windows above small basement windows of the porch appear at the re-entrant angles.

The first floor of the centre bays has three niches with keystones. Above these, three architraved windows rise to the second floor, surmounted by a carved pediment rebuilt around 1890, enclosing the Dundas and Oliphant coat of arms, supported on four engaged Ionic columns. The two flanking bays have regular fenestration. The outer bays are advanced, with small windows with rusticated surrounds to the basement, windows with keystone and Gibbs surrounds to the ground floor, a dividing band course, architraved windows with keystones to the first floor, and windows with moulded surrounds to the second floor. A continuous dentil-moulded cornice with coped balustrade runs across the top.

Links: the links are angled and symmetrical, two storeys high with three bays, raised from a single storey by Wardrop and Reid in 1877. The centre bay of each has a polygonal-headed doorway with a Gibbs surround — glazed to the left link, panelled to the right — surmounted by a pediment. The angles have pilasters supporting a basket-arched frame. The flanking bays at ground floor have octagonal windows with Gibbs surrounds, each with a single window above bearing a keystone and moulded surround. A moulded cornice with coped balustrade and urn finials runs across the top.

Pavilions: the pavilions are symmetrical, with regular fenestration to the north elevations. The three-bay inside returns have Venetian windows to the centre of the ground floor, regular fenestration to the flanking bays, two small windows to the centre of the first floor, and regular fenestration to the flanking bays at first floor.

WEST ELEVATION

The west elevation is symmetrical, two storeys and basement, six bays. The basement has nine-pane windows with keystones and rusticated surrounds; the ground floor has pedimented windows with moulded surrounds. The outer left bay of the basement and ground floor is masked by the link. The second floor has architraved windows.

West elevation of the pavilion: four bays; an infilled doorway to the centre of the ground floor; a panelled timber door to the right with a two-pane fanlight; a window to the outer right; two small windows to the centre two bays of the first floor; windows to the outer right and left bays of the first floor. A later wing is advanced to the outer right; the west elevation of this wing was not seen in 1997. The left return (courtyard elevation) is dated 1888 on a shouldered wallhead stack, with a glazed door to the left bay at ground floor and regular fenestration to the remainder.

SOUTH ELEVATION

The south elevation is symmetrical.

Corps de logis: tooled random rubble, seven bays grouped 2-3-2. A perron stair of around 1800 leads to a three-bay flat-roofed porch advanced to the centre, also dating from around 1800, rising through the basement and ground floor. The basement has six-pane barred windows, blind to the centre; a balustraded dividing band course runs above. Each bay of the ground floor has a large window flanked by engaged Corinthian columns supporting a moulded frieze. Glazed timber two-leaf doors with two-pane fanlights open at the left and right returns, reached by balustraded swept stone steps of around 1800.

Regular fenestration appears to the basement and ground floors; the centre three bays of the second floor have round-arched windows with keystones. Three nine-pane windows break the eaves cornice at the second floor and are surmounted by a pediment incorporating the carved Scottish Royal Coat of Arms, thistle and rose, and the motto "NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSET", surmounted by a pair of sphinxes. The flanking bays have regular fenestration.

Left link: five bays; the bays to the left are obscured by trees; a window to the first floor of the penultimate bay to the right has a moulded surround and keystone; a small window appears to the outer right of the ground floor of the penultimate bay; windows to the first floor of the flanking bays; pilasters supporting a basket-arched frame to the angles; blocking course with stone urns to the angles.

Right link: a doorway off-centre to the right of the centre bay has a two-leaf timber door reached by stone steps; a window appears to the centre of the first floor above; windows to the centre of the flanking bays at first floor; a barred window off-centre to the left of the ground floor right bay; pilasters supporting a basket-arched frame to the angles; blocking course with stone urns to the angles. Two windows to the ground floor of the left bay of the right return; a blank panel above; windows to the ground and first floors of the right bay. A window to the ground floor of a recessed bay to the outer right; a blind window to the first floor.

EAST ELEVATION

The east elevation is symmetrical, six bays, with regular fenestration to all floors. The outer right bays of the basement and ground floors are masked by the link; blind windows appear at the first and second floors above.

East elevation of the pavilion: asymmetrical, five bays. Large round-arched doorways appear to the centre, the penultimate bay to the right, and the outer right bay at ground floor. The centre and penultimate bay to the right have glazed two-leaf doors; the outer right bay opens to a garage, flanked by a small window. The penultimate bay to the left has an infilled round-arched doorway; the outer left is blank. The first floor has irregular fenestration.

ORANGERY AND WEST OUTBUILDINGS

Dating from around 1753, these are two storeys high and originally of U plan, with the courtyard now roofed over. The outbuildings are linked to the west of the house by a single-storey lean-to with a corrugated iron roof and two two-leaf boarded timber doors to the north elevation. A random rubble wall with polished gatepiers to the north of the lean-to forms a courtyard to the rear of the pavilion.

North elevation: asymmetrical, seven bays; round-arched doorways with impost detail to the centre bay and the penultimate bays to the left and right; a doorway to the bay to the right of centre; a window to the bay to the left of centre flanked by two windows; a blind window to the outer right; a window to the outer left flanked by a small window to the right. Large louvred openings to the penultimate bay to the right and the outer right bay; regular fenestration to the remainder.

West elevation: three bays; the centre bay was originally an open courtyard and now has a gabled timber roof; irregular fenestration to the inside left return; an infilled doorway off-centre to the left of the ground floor of the bay to the right; a blind window above; a Venetian doorway to the orangery in the outer right bay, set in a recessed round arch, with a boarded glazed timber two-leaf door and an eight-pane fanlight.

South elevation (orangery): seven bays, symmetrical, in droved snecked sandstone rubble with polished dressings. A round-arched doorway set in a recessed round arch with a boarded, glazed timber two-leaf door and an eight-pane fanlight occupies the centre; the remaining bays have round-arched windows with long-and-short voussoirs and impost details.

East elevation: seven bays, near symmetrical. A large window opening to the centre of the ground floor is flanked by two panelled timber doors; regular fenestration to the three central bays of the first floor. The outer bays are advanced: the ground floor of the penultimate bay to the left and outer left bay is obscured by a lean-to (see above), with regular fenestration at first floor; a window to the ground floor of the penultimate bay to the right; a doorway to the outer right bay; a single window to the outer right at first floor; a small rooflight to the centre.

STABLES, EAST OUTBUILDINGS AND EAST COURTYARD

The stables are two storeys, U plan, and are linked to the east of the house at the rear of the pavilion by a random rubble wall to the south, with a boarded timber door. A coursed rubble coped wall to the north sweeps down to the east, with polished gatepiers with spherical caps at the far east, forming a cobbled courtyard. A mounting block remains in place.

North elevation: nine bays, near symmetrical; round-arched doorways to the third and seventh bays from the left at ground floor, with two-leaf boarded timber doors and five-pane fanlights; regular fenestration to the remaining bays of the ground floor; five windows to the first floor, that to the outer right breaking the eaves.

West elevation: seven bays, asymmetrical; wide round-arched doorways to the centre and the flanking bay to the left at ground floor, with glazed boarded timber doors, now used as garages; a 20th-century lean-to addition to the flanking bay to the right, with a window and boarded timber door to the left return and a slate roof; a piended dormer to the centre of the first floor; a small four-pane window to the flanking bay to the right. The outer bays are advanced, with a doorway and relieving arch to the outer left and outer right bays, each with boarded timber doors and a piended dormer above at first floor; a further piended dormer to the penultimate bay to the right at first floor; the penultimate bay to the left is blank. A pall stone is at the outer left corner.

South elevation: partially obscured by trees; seven bays, with a round-arched window with impost detail to each bay.

East elevation: three bays; the centre bay is recessed and obscured by two timber lean-to additions to the inside returns; a window opening breaks the eaves with a catslide roof to the inside right return. Windows off-centre to the right of the ground and first floors of the outer right bay. A large opening with a metal lintel to the ground floor of the outer left bay; a window opening off-centre to the left at first floor.

East courtyard: tooled snecked rubble with droved dressings and polished ashlar coping to the south, east, and north; the outbuildings and stables are to the west (see above); an opening to the west of the north wall; a lean-to shelter with a corrugated iron roof to the inside of the north wall; cobbled floor.

WINDOWS, ROOFS AND RAINWATER GOODS

The windows are predominantly 12-pane timber sash-and-case, with thicker astragals largely dating from the William Adam scheme. The roofs are piended grey slate with lead ridges. The chimney stacks are primarily double and triple corniced ashlar ridge stacks with circular cans. Rainwater goods are mainly cast iron, with some lead downpipes and decorative hoppers.

INTERIOR

The arcaded entrance hall rises through two storeys and features baroque plasterwork by Joseph Enzer, executed between 1730 and 1735. It contains a clock dated 1592, originally from the earlier tower house, now in an 18th-century case by Francis Brodie of Edinburgh. The Oak Room has fine panelling and a basket-arched William Adam fireplace with late 19th-century overmantles, and opens into a porch of around 1800 leading to the garden. The Old Library on the second floor has plasterwork by Enzer, including an elaborate frieze and plaster vaults; the original bookcases are now grained and house a porcelain collection. The dining room (restored 1995) and drawing room (restored 1997) are in the west range by John Adam, 1753; the plasterwork in the drawing room was designed by John Adam and executed by Philip Robertson between 1762 and 1763. The New Library was designed by Thomas Brown and Adam Lumsden, 1866–68, and has a fireplace in the Jacobean style inscribed "ELD 1868 RD". Remains of a railway from the old kitchen to the dining room survive.

HA-HA

A stone ha-ha runs to the north of the house from east to west.

SUNDIAL

The sundial stands at the centre of the south lawn. It has a circular plan, with egg-and-dart carving around the base of the shaft, gadrooning to the base of the waisted neck, and a gnomon ornamented with a raised thistle.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Arniston House is an exceptionally fine example of a country house designed, in the words of Sir John Clerk of Penicuik, for "convenience and use". The land on which the Arniston Estate stands was originally used by King Malcolm for hunting from Edinburgh Castle. It changed hands several times over the following centuries. After the Reformation the property was divided into several units, the most significant of which was bought in 1571 by George Dundas, 16th Laird of the Dundas Estate, as an inheritance for his son James — born of his second marriage to Katherine Oliphant — since he already had an heir to his existing estate at South Queensferry from his first marriage. The union of the Dundas and Oliphant families is represented by the Elephant of the Oliphant family and the Lion of the Dundas family on the North Lodges (see separate listing). James took over the estate around 1600. The original house is thought to have been built around 1620 and was a U-plan building with a large walled garden. James extended the estate by purchasing farms such as Castleton (see separate listing). His grandson Robert inherited the estate in 1679 and, on his return from exile in Holland in 1689, began improvements to Arniston. He intended to build a new house and to improve the estate in line with the mansions and grounds he had seen on the Continent. Improvements to the gardens were begun, but it was Robert's son — also called Robert — who commissioned William Adam to design the new mansion house.

The design for the present Arniston House was clearly influenced by James Gibbs's design for Down Hall in Essex, though it was by no means a copy. Adam was also inspired by the ideas of Sir John Clerk of Penicuik, for whom he had designed Mavisbank, completed in 1727. Clerk's poem The Country Seat described the "useful" country house, which Arniston undoubtedly was, also being a design of good taste in what A. A. Tait described as a "blending of the cultivated with the natural senses." William Adam's design was based on the foundations of the existing 17th-century house. The house was originally entered through a three-bay temple front with a rusticated ground floor and round-arched openings, now masked by the 1872 porch addition. The three niches above, intended to contain portrait busts, still survive. The remainder of the house was harled rubble with single-storey passages to the service pavilions. Construction was not completed until the mid-18th century, as Robert ran out of funds. By this time William Adam had died, and his son John took on the commission in 1753 for Robert, 4th Lord Arniston. John Adam was responsible for the west range, which he adapted to contemporary taste by replacing the double-height apartments with the dining room and drawing room. Both rooms were recently restored in 1997 after dry rot was discovered in 1957.

William Adam's arrangement for the grounds — apparently carried out to the south — mixed the formal with the informal, comprising a bastioned parterre, wilderness, great avenue, cascade, and basin. From the 1750s there was a long period of improvement, principally involving the informalisation of the grounds. John Adam continued to work on the grounds where his father had left off and was responsible for some of the changes; by 1764 the parterre and cascade had gone. In 1791 Thomas White designed an improvement and informalisation plan for the Arniston grounds; though little of this was actually carried out, the gardens did become more informal towards the beginning of the 19th century. The Scottish Royal Coat of Arms within the pediment of the south elevation, like some of the stones on the rustic bridges in the sunken garden (see separate listings), possibly originated on Parliament House, Edinburgh, which was refaced by Robert Reid in 1803.