Description

Circa 1825 with later additions. Single storey and basement to front, 2-storey to rear. Austere Greek revival 3-bay villa with Greek Doric portico. Single storey and basement 2-bay wing to E with pedimented dormers breaking eaves. Cream sandstone tooled ashlar with dressed window surrounds, coursed rubble to basement, sides and rear. Base course, eaves cornice and blocking course. Architraved openings.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: tetrastyle unfluted Greek Doric portico at centre with 3-stepped plinth; timber panelled door in moulded surround with glazed fanlight (5 circular panes, horizontally arranged), flanked by 2 single windows within porch. Single windows in bays to outer left and right corniced. E wing: band course separates ground and basement stories.

N (REAR) ELEVATION: regularly fenestrated full-height 3-bay canted projection at centre. Single windows at both floors to outer right. Additions to outer left.

Predominantly stylised 20-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows; plate glass in upper sash of window to right of portico, in dormers of south facade of E wing and in upper windows of canted bay. Graded grey slate roof. Coped ashlar stacks with circular cans.

INTERIOR: square entrance hall with cupola sitting on dome on pendentives; good plasterwork, in excellent condition.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND GATEPIERS: coped rubble garden walls; Square section gatepiers with recessed panels and corniced, pyramidal caps.

Statement of Interest

Has been attributed on (stylistic grounds) both to William Playfair and to William Burn. Originally Wardie Lodge, built for Sir George Macleod. Acquired by Sir John Murray, naturalist and oceanographer, and renamed after his ship, HMS Challenger. Became a home for disabled children before being extended in 1978 (by Alan Reiach and Eric Hall and Partners) to become St Columba's Hospice.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17793661

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

• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair