Penicuik High School, Carlops Road, Penicuik

Penicuik High School is a substantial educational building designed by William Scott between 1935 and 1937, with later additions. It is a 2-storey building with basement, arranged in a near-symmetrical double quadrangular plan, occupying 23 bays along its length. The structure displays severe classical detailing and generous fenestration throughout.

The principal southeast elevation features stugged ashlar sandstone at principal floor level, with the remainder rendered and polished ashlar dressings. Channelled rustication marks the advanced entrance blocks, which break the eaves line. A corniced lintel divides the principal and first floors of the entrance blocks, with a band course and eaves course running across. Pilasters divide pairs of bays at first floor level.

At the centre of the principal elevation stands a 5-bay advanced entrance block. Flanking this are single-bay entrance blocks positioned at the seventh bay from centre on both left and right. These comprise steps and saddle-coped walls leading to centrally positioned architraved doorpieces with 2-leaf 6-panel timber doors and decorative rectangular fanlights. The central entrance block contains windows at principal floor level, with those at the centre and outer left and right positions advanced at first floor and surmounted by block pediments. The central window is architraved with a keystone and rests on a cill with consoles. Fluted lintels appear in the bays to the outer left and right of the central entrance block. Regular fenestration fills the remaining bays at both principal and first floor levels. A 2-bay return extends to the splayed outer bays on the right, comprising steps down to a basement door on the left at ground level, with windows at principal floor in the remaining bays. The splayed angle to the left has a blank return.

The northeast and southwest elevations form a near-mirrored pair of side elevations, the northeast comprising 17 bays and the southwest 15 bays. Both angle outward at the southeast and step upward toward the northwest. Deeply chamfered architraved doorpieces with 2-leaf 6-panel timber doors and decorative rectangular fanlights are positioned at the penultimate bay from the left at ground level on the northeast elevation, and the penultimate bay from the right at ground level on the southwest elevation. Regular fenestration fills the remaining bays at principal and first floors. Returns to the principal elevation at the splayed angles display irregular fenestration. An advanced stair block projects from the southwest elevation, incorporating a stairwell on the northeast side.

The northwest rear elevation was not observed in 1999.

Windows throughout are multi-pane metal pivoting units. Roofs are covered in graded grey slate with lead ridges. Cast-iron rainwater goods are fitted throughout, with ashlar ridge stacks that are corniced and topped with circular cans.

The interior features a classical decorative scheme. The entrance hall is columned and pilastered with reed and tie decoration, leading to a double return staircase with rectilinear pattern metal banisters topped by timber hand rails. A semicircular timber ridge marks the dado level. A central assembly hall contains timber steps to a raised stage. The gymnasium at the rear features vertically boarded, corniced timber dado flanked by separate boys' and girls' changing rooms. The head teacher's office is distinguished by timber pilasters flanking the windows, panelled and corniced timber dado, a decorative fireplace, and decorative doors.

The boundary treatment comprises low coped ashlar walls at street level along the principal elevation, featuring coped corner terminals and curved walls to coped gatepiers with recessed shouldered panel detail and decorative cast-iron finials from which lamps have been removed. Decorative wrought-iron gates complete the boundary enclosure.