Standing Building Recording

Date 8 October 2018 - 10 October 2018

Event ID 1085011

Category Recording

Type Standing Building Recording

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1085011

NT 24575 72359 A historic building survey, including production of a photographic and written record, was undertaken, 9 – 17 October 2018, of the former school in advance of renovation work.

The school was constructed, 1911 – 14, to a design by John Alexander Carfrae, the renowned Edinburgh School Board Architect who designed a number of schools in Edinburgh and Scotland between the 1880s and 1920s. Built as a ‘higher grade’ school, it was constructed as a grand edifice of post-Renaissance classical architecture design to house over 1200 pupils in 40 classrooms, at a time when free education was encouraged and embraced by the city and county councils across the country.

Built as a large linear block centred around two quads (each housing a gymnasium at the lower ground floor level), the perimeter corridor and surrounding classrooms are well lit with large tripartite windows and corridor windows facing the quad. There is also an additional home economics wing, which was contemporary with the original build, to the NW. Some expansion occurred with the extension of this wing and the dining hall in the late 20th century, as well as an additional detached wing to the W side of the school grounds. However, these expansions could not further accommodate the rise in pupil numbers and the decision to construct a new school culminated in the construction of the new Boroughmuir High school, which opened in 2018 at 111 Viewforth. The old school will be converted into residential housing.

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Funder: Cala Homes

Diana Sproat – AOC Archaeology Group

(Source: DES Vol 19)

OASIS ID: aocarcha1-330920