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Summary

Description

1710 corps-de-logis with later additions. 2 storey and basement classical country house; 5 bay corps-de-logis with 2 storey single bay links to 3 bay pavilions. Harled with polished sandstone ashlar dressings; long and short rusticated quoins. Base course; dividing band course; eaves course.

W (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: symmetrical. Corps-de-logis: balustraded stone steps to entrance added by J MacIntyre Henry, 1898; central doorway with engaged Ionic columns supporting Ionic entablature surmounted by balustraded balcony; armorial shield above; 2 leaf panelled timber door with brass handles; flanked by 2 windows; regular fenestration to 1st floor; segmental arched pediment above, with central oclulus and carved finials. Regular fenestration to ground and 1st floor of flanking bays. Links: late 18th century, raised 1 storey by J MacIntyre Henry in 1898; round arched windows with keystones to ground; single window to 1st floor. Pavilions: 3 bays; advanced; central bays further advanced with Venetian window to centre at ground; tripartite window with blind outer panes to 1st floor; regular fenestration to flanking bays; single window to 1st floor left return of right pavilion; basement with central tripartite window flanked by 2 single windows to left pavilion.

S ELEVATION: until recently attached to stable block; asymmetrical, 2 bay; window centred to ground of left bay flanked by timber panelled door to right with 3 pane fanlight; single window above to 1st floor; tripartite window to ground of bay to right with gabled window breaking eaves off centre to left at 1st floor.

E ELEVATION: corps-de-logis: symmetrical, 2 storey and basement, 5 bay; central bay bowed forward through 2 storeys and basement, circa 1800; segmental arched pediment behind; central doorway to ground reached by stone steps with wrought iron railings; 2 leaf glazed timber door with 3 pane fanlight; flanked by 2 single windows; regular fenestration to 1st floor and basement; replacement door to centre of basement; oculus to centre of pediment; decorative finials. Regular fenestration to flanking bays; with small windows to left hand bays of basement. Links: recessed 2 storey, 2 bay link to left with regular fenestration and 2 leaf boarded timber opening to right at ground. Recessed 2 storey link to right with timber panelled door to left of ground floor; open loggia to right of ground; irregular fenestration. Pavilions: advanced, symmetrical, 2 storey, 2 bay pavilion to right with regular fenestration. Advanced, asymmetrical, 2 storey, 2 bay pavilion to left; bowed window at ground to left bay with 2 pedimented windows breaking eaves above; timber panelled door with window to left at ground of bay to right; window to 1st floor; window to ground floor of right return.

N ELEVATION: asymmetrical, window in bay to left of ground floor; irregular fenestration to 1st floor.

Predominantly 12 pane timber sash and case windows. Piended grey slate roofs with lead ridges; 2 roof lights to E elevation. Cast iron rainwater goods. Corniced harled stacks with polished margins and circular cans; 4 breaking pitch of corps-de-logis, wallhead stacks to remainder.

INTERIOR: corps de logis: primarily 1898 recently re decorated (1997). Entered through small porch with mosaic floor to glazed oak door. Oak panelled entrance hall, originally also serving as ballroom; movable Ionic columns; oak fireplace with fluted frieze, flanked by Ionic pilasters; oak shutters. Depressed arches to left and right give access to remainder of house; galleried oak staircase to left, with barley sugar balusters, to 1st and attic floors. Remainder of ground floor principal rooms have oak panelling to dado and neo Classical style fireplaces (Adam imitation). Billiard room to S of ground floor with bowed window, Adam style plaster ceiling; original, circa 1710, timber corner fireplace with carved ogee frieze. 1st floor rooms similar to those at ground, but some with framed panelled walls and coved ceilings. Rooms in wings, either side of corridor, mainly bedrooms, bathrooms and sitting rooms with simple moulded cornicing and skirting boards. Attic not seen 1997.

GATEPIERS, GATES, BOUNDARY WALLS AND HA HA: main gates to NW of house. Polished ashlar coped gatepiers with chamfered margins and pyramidal caps; modern replacement gates; flat coped tooled coursed stone quadrant walls swept back to gates; rusticated fluted piers to angles with rubble walls and semi circular coping to policies. Stone Ha ha to E of house.

Statement of Special Interest

The house was built by John Mitchelson of Middleton who was an advocate and Assessor for the City of Edinburgh. Borthwick Castle was part of the estate from 1760, but as it became ruinous it was sold to the Borthwicks of Crookston at the beginning of the 19th century. Small suggests that the oak staircase originated in Borthwick Castle. In 1843 the estate was divided into 6 farms, and sold to Mr William Ritchie, who was responsible for the extending of the house by the addition of the wings. It was sold again to Sir Edward Moss in the late 19th century, who had J MacIntyre Henry increase the height of the wings and make some other alterations. After several other owners the Edinburgh Corporation took on the house in 1938, for use as a children's convalescent home. During the war it was an evacuation camp for children, and was eventually taken over by the Scottish National Camps Association in 1947, hence the many wooden huts in the grounds (some of which have fallen into disrepair). Stanley Ross-Smith connected the much altered stable court to the main house in 1962, when the House was intended to be made into a conference centre. Middleton House is a private house (1997).

References

Bibliography

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