Middleton Hall

Middleton Hall is a classical country house of Grade A listing significance, built in 1710 with substantial later additions. The main building comprises a 2-storey corps-de-logis with basement, measuring 5 bays, connected by 2-storey single-bay links to 3-bay pavilions on either side. The house is harled with polished sandstone ashlar dressings, featuring long and short rusticated quoins, a base course, dividing band course, and eaves course.

The west (entrance) elevation is symmetrical, presenting the principal façade. The corps-de-logis displays a central doorway with engaged Ionic columns supporting an Ionic entablature, surmounted by a balustraded balcony with an armorial shield above. The door itself is a 2-leaf panelled timber door with brass handles, flanked by two windows with regular fenestration to the first floor. A segmental arched pediment crowns the composition, centred with an oculus and carved finials. Balustraded stone steps leading to the entrance were added by J MacIntyre Henry in 1898. The flanking bays show regular fenestration to ground and first floor. The links, dating from the late 18th century, were raised one storey by J MacIntyre Henry in 1898 and feature round arched windows with keystones at ground level and single windows to the first floor. The pavilions advance beyond the corps-de-logis; their central bays project further, with a Venetian window at ground level and a tripartite window with blind outer panes to the first floor, flanked by regularly fenestrated bays. The left pavilion basement contains a central tripartite window flanked by two single windows.

The south elevation is asymmetrical and consists of 2 bays. Until recently it was attached to a stable block. A window is centred to the ground of the left bay, flanked by a timber panelled door with a 3-pane fanlight to the right. A single window sits above on the first floor. The right bay features a tripartite window to the ground with a gabled window breaking the eaves off-centre to the left at first-floor level.

The east elevation displays considerable architectural sophistication. The corps-de-logis is symmetrical, 2 storeys over basement, with 5 bays. The central bay is bowed forward through two storeys and basement, a feature added around 1800, behind which stands a segmental arched pediment. A central doorway at ground level is reached by stone steps with wrought iron railings and leads to a 2-leaf glazed timber door with a 3-pane fanlight, flanked by two single windows. Regular fenestration appears to the first floor and basement, with an oculus to the centre of the pediment and decorative finials. The flanking bays contain regular fenestration with small windows to the left-hand basement bays. The left link is a recessed 2-storey structure of 2 bays with regular fenestration and a 2-leaf boarded timber opening to the right at ground level. The right link is also recessed and 2-storeys, featuring a timber panelled door to the left of the ground floor and an open loggia to the right, with irregular fenestration throughout. The right pavilion is advanced and symmetrical, 2 storeys, 2 bays, with regular fenestration. The left pavilion is advanced but asymmetrical, 2 storeys, 2 bays; a bowed window appears at ground level to the left bay, with two pedimented windows breaking the eaves above. A timber panelled door with adjacent window stands to the left at ground floor of the right bay, with a window to the first floor and another to the ground floor of the right return.

The north elevation is asymmetrical, with a window in the bay to the left of the ground floor and irregular fenestration to the first floor.

The windows are predominantly 12-pane timber sash-and-case. Roofs are piended grey slate with lead ridges; two roof lights appear on the east elevation. Cast iron rainwater goods run throughout. Chimney stacks are harled with polished margins and circular cans; four stacks break the pitch of the corps-de-logis roof, with wallhead stacks serving the remainder.

The interior of the corps-de-logis reflects primarily 1898 work, recently redecorated in 1997. Entry is through a small porch with a mosaic floor to a glazed oak door. The entrance hall is oak-panelled, originally serving also as a ballroom and featuring movable Ionic columns. An oak fireplace with fluted frieze, flanked by Ionic pilasters, sits within the hall; oak shutters are installed. Depressed arches to left and right provide access to the remainder of the house. A galleried oak staircase to the left, with barley sugar balusters, serves the first and attic floors. Ground-floor principal rooms display oak panelling to the dado and neo-Classical style fireplaces in imitation of Robert Adam's work. The billiard room to the south of the ground floor features a bowed window and an Adam-style plaster ceiling; its original circa-1710 timber corner fireplace retains a carved ogee frieze. First-floor rooms are similar to those at ground level, though some display framed panelled walls and coved ceilings. Rooms in the wings, flanking a central corridor, are mainly bedrooms, bathrooms, and sitting rooms with simple moulded cornicing and skirting boards. The attic was not viewed during the 1997 inspection.

The gatepiers, gates, boundary walls, and ha-ha are integral to the setting. The main gates to the north-west of the house are flanked by polished ashlar coped gatepiers with chamfered margins and pyramidal caps; modern replacement gates fill the opening. Flat coped tooled coursed stone quadrant walls sweep back to the gates. Rusticated fluted piers at angles support rubble walls with semi-circular coping to the policies. A stone ha-ha is situated to the east of the house.

The house was built by John Mitchelson of Middleton, an advocate and Assessor for the City of Edinburgh. Borthwick Castle formed part of the estate from 1760, but as it deteriorated, it was sold to the Borthwicks of Crookston at the beginning of the 19th century. The oak staircase is believed to have originated in Borthwick Castle. In 1843 the estate was divided into 6 farms and sold to William Ritchie, who extended the house by the addition of wings. Sir Edward Moss acquired the property in the late 19th century and commissioned J MacIntyre Henry to increase the height of the wings and undertake other alterations. Following several changes of ownership, Edinburgh Corporation took possession of the house in 1938 for use as a children's convalescent home. During the Second World War it served as an evacuation camp for children, and was subsequently taken over by the Scottish National Camps Association in 1947, resulting in the construction of numerous wooden huts in the grounds, some of which have since fallen into disrepair. Stanley Ross-Smith connected the much-altered stable court to the main house in 1962 when the building was intended for conversion into a conference centre. Middleton Hall is currently a private house.