Description

Early 19th century. 2-storey, 3-bay classical villa with later flat-roofed broader single storey 3-bay range (built between 1835 and 1852) stretched across principal elevation. E elevation ashlar, remaining elevations square and coursed stugged rubble; later range droved and stugged sandstone ashlar.

ORIGINAL VILLA: cornice on E elevation and continuous narrow band

course on remaining elevations slightly below eaves level. Blocking course and raised tablet over centre bay. Drove rybats and quoins. Raised cills.

E (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: centre bay advanced with segmental-arched recessed panel. Regular fenestration at 1st floor.

S ELEVATION: 3-bay (2-1): off-centre bay fenestrated, cast-iron window guard at 1st floor; 2 blind windows in left bay; windows in right bay blocked, with window inserted out-of-line to right at ground. Brick wall running W adjoined to left.

N ELEVATION: window to left at ground, blind window to right at 1st floor. Coped projection (back of kitchen range?) to right at ground with small boarded aperture to left. Piended brick porch in re-entrant angle of elevation and wing, with door to W and window to N.

W ELEVATION: 2-storey stepped porch addition in centre bay with door to right and window to left at ground with slit above on N return. Window to left at ground, windows in outer bays at 1st floor.

LATER RANGE: returns to clasp villa on N and S elevations. Base course. Cornice and parapet, balustraded on E elevation. Architraved openings.

E (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: tall door at centre with consoled open pediment; double door with 2-leaf panelled outer door and inner door with glazed upper panels and divided fanlight; 2 tall canted windows in outer bays.

S ELEVATION: 2-leaf glazed door with fanlight at centre on S return; concrete repair panels to left.

12-pane glazing pattern in sash and case windows, 8-pane in side lights of canted windows. Stained glass panes (some damaged) with central engraved medallions in upper sashes of canted windows. N and W ground floor windows barred. Grey slates to piend and platform roof. 2 bowed-roof slate-hung dormer windows to E pitch. Large rooflight to W pitch. Corniced wallhead stacks, ashlar to N, rendered and lined to S. Isolated can on top of roof to N. Some original rainwater goods.

Brick lean-to (former dairy) to NE corner of grounds; shop front with door to right, boarded window and wooden fascia ("Fairfield Dairy") incorporated into E wall to Lothian Road. Several polychrome brick buildings in SE corner of grounds, 1 free-standing (former stable?), 2 incorporated into rubble wall at corner; pointed-arched openings. Later brick shed and several rubble buildings adjacent. Stone building (behind polychrome brick building), interior with good plasterwork. Cow byre adjoining.

BOUNDARY WALLS: brick to N, ashlar coped rubble to E and W. Wrought-iron carriage and pedestian gates to NE of E wall; flat-coped wall shaped up to either side. Gate and door in W wall.

Statement of Interest

The present outline of the house is shown on the OS Map of 1852-53. Cast-iron washing poles to N. The array of ancillary outbuildings, including the polychromy detailing, and the fine hot house (see separate listing), contribute further to the interest of Fairfield House. The property was restored in 1998 and is currently used as offices by Midlothian Council. A large glazed office block, designed by Michael Laird Partnership, was added to one side at the same time.

Formerly listed under Croft Street.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17827242

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)