Interior. Detail of niche telephone table in basement corridor. Digital image of C 43636.

Description Interior. Detail of niche telephone table in basement corridor. Digital image of C 43636.

Date 25/5/1994

Catalogue Number SC 769791

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of C 43636

Scope and Content Detail of telephone niche in basement corridor, Arniston House, Midlothian This shows a niche in the basement of the house, which originally contained a wall-mounted telephone. The drop-leaf table would allow the housekeeper to write notes whilst using the phone. An enamel sign within the niche gives the telephone number of the Edinburgh Fire Brigade. The stone walls are plastered and painted in two colours with a simple linear border. The housekeeper would use this telephone to call suppliers and local shops to organise deliveries of groceries for the coming week. The basement of the house contains the kitchens, servants' accommodation (some servants also slept in the attics) and recreation room, wine cellar, scullery and larder. The design of most country houses ensured that servants' working and living areas were concealed from the view of the landowner, his family and guests. Arniston House, the seat of the Dundas family, was built in the Palladian style from 1726 onwards by architect William Adam (1689-1748) on the site of a c.1600 U-plan tower-house. His son John (1721-92) added the west wing and orangery in 1753. The house was further altered during the 19th century, and comprises a central three-storeyed block with flanking two-storeyed service pavilions joined to the main building by two-storeyed links. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/769791

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap