Western Pavilion, Arniston House

Arniston House is an exceptional Palladian country house, begun by William Adam between 1726 and 1733, with later additions and alterations by John Adam (the west jamb and orangery, 1754–58), Wardrop and Reid (the porch, 1872), and Robert Rowand Anderson (the north pediment, rebuilt in the late 19th century). The main block — known as the corps de logis — is three storeys over a basement, nine bays wide, and is connected by two-storey, three-bay links to two-storey, three-bay pavilions on each side. The walls are built of tooled coursed pinkish sandstone rubble, originally harled, with polished stone dressings. The wings are in 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. The corps de logis has its bays grouped 2–5–2. Projecting forward at the centre of the ground floor is a single-storey, three-bay porch in tooled coursed ashlar, added in 1872 by Wardrop and Reid. At the centre of the porch is a round-arched doorway 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 also with Gibbs surrounds, set on Tuscan pilasters. The porch angles are clasped by Tuscan blocked pilaster buttresses. The left and right returns of the porch feature Venetian windows, blocked pilasters at the angles, and a continuous moulded cornice with a coped balustrade. At the re-entrant angles between the porch and the main block, round-arched windows sit above small basement windows.

Above the porch, the three centre bays of the first floor have three niches with keystones, and the second floor above these has three architraved windows 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 groups of bays have regular fenestration throughout. The outer bays are slightly advanced and have small windows with rusticated surrounds at basement level, windows with keystone and Gibbs surrounds at ground floor level, a dividing band course, architraved windows with keystones at first floor level, and windows with moulded surrounds at second floor level. The whole is topped by a continuous dentil-moulded cornice with a coped balustrade.

The angled links connecting the corps de logis to the pavilions are symmetrical, two storeys tall, and three bays wide. They were raised from single storey to two storeys by Wardrop and Reid in 1877. Each link has a polygonal-headed doorway to its centre bay with a Gibbs surround — glazed on the left link and panelled on 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 featuring a keystone and moulded surround. There is a moulded cornice with a coped balustrade and urn finials.

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

WEST ELEVATION

The west elevation of the corps de logis is symmetrical, two storeys over a basement, and six bays wide. The basement has nine-pane windows with keystones and rusticated surrounds. The ground floor has pedimented windows with moulded surrounds. The outermost left bay at basement and ground floor level is masked by the link. The upper floor (second floor) has architraved windows.

The west elevation of the western pavilion is four bays wide. At the centre of the ground floor is an infilled doorway; to its right is a panelled timber door with a two-pane fanlight; to the outer right is a window. At first floor level, two small windows occupy the two centre bays, with windows to the outer right and left bays. A later wing is advanced to the outer right, and the west elevation of this section was not seen at the time of survey in 1997. The left return, which faces the courtyard, is dated 1888 on a shouldered wallhead stack; there is a glazed door to the left bay at ground floor level, with regular fenestration to the remainder.

SOUTH ELEVATION

The south elevation is symmetrical. The corps de logis here is built in tooled random rubble, is seven bays wide, and grouped 2–3–2. At the centre, a flat-roofed porch of around 1800 is advanced through the basement and ground floors, with a perron stair of the same date. The basement windows in this section are six-pane barred windows, blind to the centre bay, above which is a balustraded dividing band course. At ground floor level, each bay of the porch has a large window flanked by engaged Corinthian columns supporting a moulded frieze. The left and right returns of the porch have glazed two-leaf timber doors with two-pane fanlights, reached by balustraded swept stone steps dating from around 1800.

The remaining bays of the south elevation have regular fenestration at basement and ground floor. At first floor level, the three centre bays have round-arched windows with keystones. At second floor level, three nine-pane windows break through the eaves cornice and are surmounted by a pediment incorporating a carved Scottish Royal Coat of Arms, thistle and rose, and the motto "NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSET" (No one provokes me with impunity), crowned by a pair of sphinxes. The flanking bays have regular fenestration throughout.

The left link on the south side is five bays wide, with the bays to the left partly obscured by trees. The penultimate bay to the right has a first-floor window with a moulded surround and keystone, and a small ground-floor window to the outer right. The flanking bays have first-floor windows. The angles have pilasters supporting a basket-arched frame. There is a blocking course with stone urns at the angles.

The right link on the south side has a doorway off-centre to the right of its centre bay, with a two-leaf timber door reached by stone steps and a first-floor window above. The flanking bays have first-floor windows to their centres. There is a barred window off-centre to the left of the ground floor of the right bay. The angles again have pilasters supporting a basket-arched frame and a blocking course with stone urns. Two windows occupy the ground floor of the left bay of the right return, with a blank panel above, and windows at both ground and first floor in the right bay. On the recessed bay to the outer right there is a ground-floor window and a blind window above.

EAST ELEVATION

The east elevation of the corps de logis is symmetrical, six bays wide, with regular fenestration to all floors. The outermost right bays at basement and ground floor are masked by the link. First and second floor windows above this masked section are blind.

The east elevation of the eastern pavilion is asymmetrical and five bays wide. The ground floor has large round-arched doorways to the centre bay, to the penultimate bay from the right, and to the outermost right bay. The centre bay and the penultimate right bay have glazed two-leaf doors; the outermost right bay opens as a garage, flanked by a small window. The penultimate bay from the left has an infilled round-arched doorway, and the outermost left bay is blank. The first floor has irregular fenestration.

ORANGERY AND WEST OUTBUILDINGS

Dating from around 1753, this is a two-storey structure originally of U-plan, with the courtyard now roofed over. It is linked to the west side of the house by a single-storey lean-to with a corrugated iron roof and two two-leaf boarded timber doors on its north elevation. To the north of this lean-to is a random rubble wall with polished gatepiers, forming a courtyard to the rear of the pavilion.

The north elevation of the orangery and outbuildings is asymmetrical and seven bays wide. There are round-arched doorways with impost details to the centre bay and to the penultimate bays on both left and right; a doorway to the bay immediately right of centre; a window to the bay left of centre, flanked by two windows; a blind window to the outer right; and a window to the outer left with a small window to its right. The penultimate right bay and the outermost right bay have large louvred openings, with regular fenestration to the remainder.

The west elevation is three bays wide. The centre bay was originally an open courtyard, now covered by a gabled timber roof. The inside left return has irregular fenestration. The bay to the right has an infilled doorway off-centre to the left at ground floor, with a blind window above. The outermost right bay contains the Orangery entrance: a Venetian doorway set in a recessed round arch, with a boarded, glazed two-leaf timber door and an eight-pane fanlight.

The south elevation is the Orangery itself — seven bays wide, symmetrical, built in droved snecked sandstone rubble with polished dressings. The centre bay has a round-arched doorway set in a recessed round arch with a boarded, glazed two-leaf timber door and an eight-pane fanlight. The remaining bays have round-arched windows with long-and-short voussoirs and impost details.

The east elevation is seven bays wide and near-symmetrical. The centre of the ground floor has a large window opening flanked by two panelled timber doors, with regular fenestration to the three central bays of the first floor. The outer bays are advanced; the ground floor of the penultimate and outermost left bays is obscured by the lean-to described above, though the first floor has regular fenestration. The penultimate right bay has a ground-floor window and the outermost right bay has a doorway; there is a single first-floor window to the outer right. There is a small rooflight to the centre.

STABLES, EAST OUTBUILDINGS AND EAST COURTYARD

The stables and east outbuildings are two storeys tall and of U-plan. They are linked to the east side of the house at the rear of the pavilion by a random rubble wall to the south with a boarded timber door, and a coursed rubble coped wall to the north, which sweeps down to the east where polished gatepiers with spherical caps mark the far entrance. These walls enclose a cobbled courtyard; the mounting block is still in place.

The north elevation is nine bays wide and near-symmetrical. The third and seventh bays from the left have round-arched doorways with two-leaf boarded timber doors and five-pane fanlights at ground floor level. The remaining ground-floor bays have regular fenestration, and there are five first-floor windows, with the outermost right one breaking the eaves.

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

The south elevation is partially obscured by trees. It is seven bays wide, with a round-arched window with impost detail to each bay.

The east elevation is three bays wide, with the centre bay recessed. It is partially obscured by two timber lean-to additions to the inside returns. A window opening breaks the eaves on the inside right return, which has a cat-slide roof. The outer right bay has windows off-centre to the right at both ground and first floor. The outer left bay has a large opening with a metal lintel at ground floor level, and a window opening off-centre to the left at first floor.

The east courtyard itself is enclosed by tooled snecked rubble walls with droved dressings and polished ashlar coping to the south, east, and north. The outbuildings and stables form the west side. There is an opening to the west of the north wall, and a lean-to shelter with a corrugated iron roof on the inside of the north wall. The floor is cobbled.

WINDOWS, ROOFS AND RAINWATER GOODS

Windows throughout are predominantly twelve-pane timber sash-and-case, with the thicker astragals largely dating from William Adam's original scheme. Roofs are piended grey slate with lead ridges. 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 entrance hall is arcaded and rises through two storeys, with baroque plasterwork by Joseph Enzer, executed between 1730 and 1735. It contains a clock dated 1592, originally from the earlier tower house, now housed 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; it opens into a porch of around 1800 leading to the garden. The old library on the second floor has plasterwork by Enzer featuring an elaborate frieze and plaster vaults; the original bookcases are now grained and house a porcelain collection. The dining room (restored in 1995) and the drawing room (restored in 1997) are in the west range by John Adam, 1753. The drawing room plasterwork 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 Jacobean-style fireplace inscribed "ELD 1868 RD". The remains of a small railway connecting the old kitchen to the dining room are still present.

HA-HA

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

SUNDIAL

At the centre of the south lawn stands a sundial of circular plan. The base of the shaft is carved with an egg-and-dart moulding. The base of the waisted neck has gadrooning, and the gnomon is ornamented with a raised thistle.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Arniston House is considered an exceptionally fine example of a country house designed, in the words of Sir John Clerk of Penicuik, for "convenience and use". The land of the Arniston Estate was originally used by King Malcolm for hunting from Edinburgh Castle and changed hands several times over subsequent centuries. After the Reformation the property was divided into several units. The most significant portion was purchased in 1571 by George Dundas, 16th Laird of Dundas, as an inheritance for his son James — the child of his second marriage, to Katherine Oliphant — since he already had an heir to his estate at South Queensferry from his first marriage. The union of the Dundas and Oliphant families is represented by the Oliphant elephant and the Dundas lion on the North Lodges. James took over the estate around 1600, and the original house is thought to have been built around 1620 as a U-plan building with a large walled garden. James also extended the estate by purchasing farms including Castleton. His grandson Robert inherited in 1679, and on returning from exile in Holland in 1689 began improving Arniston, intending to build a new house and lay out grounds in the manner of the continental mansions he had seen. Improvements to the gardens were begun, but it was Robert's son — also named Robert — who commissioned William Adam to design the new mansion house.

Adam's design was clearly influenced by James Gibbs's design for Down Hall in Essex, though it was by no means a direct copy. Adam was also inspired by the ideas of Sir John Clerk of Penicuik, for whom he had designed Mavisbank (completed 1727). Clerk's poem The Country Seat described the "useful" country house — one combining good taste with a blending of "the cultivated with the natural senses" (A. A. Tait, p.132). William Adam's design was built on the foundations of the existing 17th-century house. The original entrance was 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, originally intended to hold portrait busts, still survive. The remainder of the house was harled rubble, with single-storey passages connecting to the service pavilions.

Construction was not completed until the mid-18th century, as Robert ran out of funds. By that time William Adam had died, and his son John Adam took on the commission in 1753, working for Robert, 4th Lord Arniston. John Adam was responsible for the west range, adapting it to contemporary taste by replacing the double-height apartments with the dining room and drawing room, both recently restored (1997) following the discovery of dry rot in 1957.

William Adam's arrangement of the grounds — apparently carried out to the south — mixed formal and informal elements, comprising a bastioned parterre, wilderness, great avenue, cascade, and basin. From the 1750s onward there was a long period of improvement, principally involving the informalisation of the grounds. John Adam continued his father's work on the landscape, and by 1764 the parterre and cascade had been removed. In 1791 Thomas White prepared an improvement and informalisation plan for the grounds; although little of it was actually executed, the gardens did become more informal in character 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, may have originated on Parliament House, Edinburgh, which was refaced by Robert Reid in 1803.