Edinburgh, 148 Pleasance, Deaconess Hospital

AOC Archaeology Group was commissioned by Mace Real Estate Limited to undertake an historic building survey of the former Deaconess House (or 'Deaconess Hospital') located on the Pleasance (between Brown Street and Carnegie Street) in Edinburgh. These works were required as a condition on the planning consent for the part demolition and renovation of the buildings. Deaconess Hospital was built primarily in the 1890s in two phases to the front of the Pleasance. In the 1910s, another smaller nurse's home was built to the rear (east) of the site. The major development of the site, however, occurred in the 1930s with a large extension abutting the south side of the 1890s buildings and more large extensions to the rear. In the 1970s, the complex was extended further with a single storey block to the south. Whilst the exterior character of the buildings largely remain, the interior of the buildings have undergone a tremendous amount of refurbishment and very little of the original character of the building exists. Most window bays have been rendered over, although a few panelled windows to the west elevation of the 1890s building have survived. The work undertaken included a written, drawn and photographic record of the site. No further historic building recording is recommended, although an archaeological evaluation is required after the demolition of the rear 1910s/1930s buildings.

D.Sproat,AOC Archaeology Group, 2012. OASIS-id: aocarcha1-130662

A project to characterise the quantity and quality of the Scottish resource of known surviving remains of the First World War. Carried out in partnership between Historic Scotland and RCAHMS.