Gate lodge to Donaldson's Building of Edinburgh Academy (former Donaldson's School For The Deaf), 54 Henderson Row, Edinburgh, Inverleith, Edinburgh

Description

An earlier 19^th century single-storey, eight-bay gate lodge built in a simple classical style. Rectangular on plan with droved ashlar sandstone walls. There are associated gatepiers to the south and boundary walls to the north and west. These ancillaries were constructed between 1823-24 to serve the main school building (see separate listing, Listed Building Ref. LB27972), which was purpose-built to the designs of James Gillespie Graham for the Edinburgh Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. The buildings are located on the northern edge of Edinburgh's New Town and currently form part of the neighbouring Edinburgh Academy (see separate listings, Listed Building Refs. LB27973 and LB30043). The ancillaries form the main entrance to the site from Henderson Row, with a further boundary wall to the rear on Glenogle Road.

The gate lodge largely has regular-spaced openings to the main (northeast) elevation, with two door openings either side of centre and a later small window opening to right-of-centre. The three-bays to the northwest are thought to have been rebuilt around 1957. There is a single window opening to the southeast elevation and the southwest (rear) elevation adjoins the neighbouring tenement (LB29023) and boundary walls. There is a coal store to the basement level at the south end of the building, accessed by external stairs.

There is a projecting base course and moulded eaves cornice with a continuous blocking course. The roof is piended and slated with two sets of paired octagonal ashlar chimneystacks. The openings have raised margins and the windows are predominantly six over six timber sliding sashes. There is a projecting timber porch to the southern-most entrance with a gabled front on decorative metal brackets. There is an additional three-bay, former workshop range to the northwest. This is set back from the line of the main gate lodge and is plainer, having a piended slate roof and no decorative details.

The interiors of the gate lodge and the adjoining former workshop were not seen (2019).

The main entrance to the south of the site, from Henderson Row, comprises two ashlar sandstone piers flanking a vehicular entrance to the centre, with two smaller outer piers forming a pedestrian entrance to either side. The piers are ashlar sandstone with chamfered edges and pyramidal caps with moulded cornicing. The opening is flanked by a dwarf wall of ashlar sandstone with a projecting base and copings, topped with spear-headed cast iron railings. The gates are replacements and are excluded from the listing.

Randomly coursed rubblestone walls with semi-circular copings line the west and rear (north) boundaries of the site. There is a secondary vehicular entrance to the west on Saxe Coburg Street which dates from the later-19^th century. This has ashlar red sandstone piers and arched gateway with double-leaf timber gates.

The main school building is located at the centre of the site, LB27972 (see case ref. 300037661 for more information). There are a number of other ancillary buildings along the western boundary, all of which are excluded from the listing of LB27972.

Legal exclusions

In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: gates, mid to late 20th century extensions to rear of the East and West Wings of the main building (LB27972), and various ancillary buildings along boundary wall to west of main building.

These structures are excluded from the listing as they are later additions and are not of special architectural or historic interest.

Historical development

The Edinburgh Institution for the Deaf and Dumb was founded in 1810 and occupied a number of different premises within Edinburgh's Old Town. It provided deaf children from all social backgrounds from all over Scotland with board and education, although some attended solely as day pupils.

In 1821 a two-acre site known as Distillery Park, was feued from the Heriot Trust and designs for a new building were provided at no cost, by the noted Scottish architect, James Gillespie Graham (Watson, p.40). The chosen site was located on Henderson Row in Stockbridge, an area of the New Town that was still under development, although many of the plots had been laid out by this time. The construction cost was met by a combination of personal subscriptions, parish collections, an exhibition tour that demonstrated the work of the Institution, and the sale of the Institution's previous premises in Chessels Court (Higginbotham). Building work was completed in May of the following year at a cost of around £7,300 (Watson, p.40).

The main building is first shown on Kirkwood's plan of 1823, captioned as the 'New Deaf and Dumb Institution'. It is shown as rectangular on plan, positioned at the centre of the site, which was bound by the newly constructed Edinburgh Academy to the east and Gabriel's Road to the west.

The associated gate lodge, boundary walls and gatepiers are thought to have been part of Gillespie Graham's original scheme and are therefore contemporary with the main building. The gate lodge is not shown on historic maps until James Knox's map of 1834, and is also shown on both Campbell and Kay's maps of 1836. However, its absence from earlier maps may be a result of the map scale and detail rather than because it had not yet been constructed.

The present footprint of the gate lodge, rectangular on plan with an additional building adjoining to the northwest, is first shown clearly on the Ordnance Survey Town Plan of 1852 (published 1853), along with the gatepiers to the south and the boundary walls. Additional outbuildings are shown in the northwest corner of the site, but these were removed by the early 20^th century (1905 Ordnance Survey map, published 1908).

The gate opening on Saxe Coburg Street is not shown until the Ordnance Survey Town Plan of 1876 (published 1878-81), which was then called West Claremont Street. It is therefore not part of the original design and was added around the mid-19th century. An earlier gateway is shown on the Ordnance Survey Town Plan of 1852 (published 1853), located a short distance to the northwest of the present opening on Saxe Coburg Street. However, this had been removed by the Ordnance Survey Town Plan of 1894.

The layout, educational methods and daily routine of the school was described in a newspaper article form 1864 (Higginbotham, Edinburgh Institution for the Deaf and Dumb). The report also described the vocational skills that were taught, in addition to the standard lessons. The girls learnt housework and were given sewing tuition, whilst the boys were given some training in tailoring, shoemaking or printing. The shoemaker's and tailor's workshops were noted as being housed in the gate lodge and were attended by a skilled workman for two hours every afternoon.

The gate lodge underwent a series of alterations in the mid-20th century. Around 1939 a doorway on the north elevation was altered to form a window and the northern part of the main (east) elevation was rebuilt around 1957 by J.D. Cairns and Ford (Turley). This is evidenced by the difference in the colour of the stonework. There have been various modern additions, including the addition of roof vents to the north section, security cameras, lights and satellite dishes.

The Ordnance Survey maps (published 1912 and 1931) show that a series of ancillary buildings were constructed along the western boundary wall throughout the 20th century. It is believed that the gates were replaced in the late 20th or early 21st centuries. These are all excluded from the listing.

The Institution was granted royal patronage in 1823 but it wasn't until 1911, on the accession of George V, that it was allowed to incorporate the word 'Royal' into its title. It then became the 'Edinburgh Royal Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb'. In 1938 the Edinburgh Institution and Donaldson's Hospital were amalgamated under the title 'Donaldson's School for the Deaf'. The Henderson Row building became the school's junior department and the Donaldson's Hospital building at West Coates (LB27971) became the senior department, where a large new building expanded the existing facilities (Watson, pp. 182-186; Higginbotham). In 2008, the school vacated the Donaldson's Hospital building at West Coates and relocated to a new campus in Linlithgow. The buildings at West Coates have now been converted into apartments.

In 1977 the Donaldson's site was acquired by the neighbouring Edinburgh Academy to the east (LB27973 and LB30043). The deaf children were relocated to the West Coates site and the two adjoining campuses on Henderson Row were amalgamated. The main building was subsequently renamed 'The Donaldson's Building' and now houses the Rector's office, and the English, Geography and Art Departments (see LB27972). The gate lodge building remains in use by Edinburgh Academy.

Statement of Interest

The gate lodge, gatepiers and boundary walls of the former Donaldson's School for the Deaf meets the criteria of special architectural or historic interest for the following reasons:

They were designed by a leading Scottish architect of the 19th century, James Gillespie Graham, to form a cohesive architectural group with the main school building.

The simple classical design and use of similar building materials respects the architectural design and composition of the main school building.

They are part of the earliest example of a purpose-built school complex for the deaf in Scotland.

These ancillaries are functionally related to the former Donaldson's School and tell us about the provision and development of education for deaf in Scotland from the early 19th century.

Architectural interest

Design

The gate lodge, gatepiers and boundary walls were all built to the designs of James Gillespie Graham, in conjunction with his design of the main Donaldson's building (LB27972). They form a cohesive group that respects the character of the main building. This is largely achieved through the use of matching materials, such as ashlar sandstone and slate roofs, and use of decorative detailing. As a group, the ancillaries compliment the main Donaldson's building but their careful composition and siting ensures that it remains the dominant feature within the site.

The four gatepiers mark the original historic entrance to the site on Henderson Row. Their grand scale, combined with the use of ashlar sandstone and neo-classical detailing, reflects the character of the main building. They form a prominent and notable entrance to the site and are the main feature of the original scheme that is visible from the public realm. The gatepiers have not been altered significantly, however the gates have been replaced and are therefore excluded from the listing.

The gate lodge is designed in a simple neo-classical style that reflects that of the main building. The narrow footprint and position against the western boundary was to ensure that it did not obstruct views towards the main building from Henderson Row. The gate lodge is intentionally low in height and is set back from the public entrance on Henderson Row. It's modest scale and positioning indicates that it was not intended to be a prominent building. It does not have a strong visual presence from the street, unlike the gate loges in the neighbouring Edinburgh Academy site to the immediate east (LB30043). The gate lodge has been subject to incremental alterations, however its early character is largely retained.

The boundary walls were also original components of the site. Those to the north and west are rubblestone, whilst those to the south are ashlar sandstone, reflecting their position as part of the main public entrance on Henderson Row. The walls are an original component of the site and have been subject to various alterations over time. This has included the construction of various small ancillary buildings, the removal of railings in some areas, and some changes in height, or blocking of openings. The arched gateway on Saxe Coburg Street was a later addition but it is a historic alteration that reflects changes in the surrounding townscape. Together the walls are important elements that define the extent of the site and are distinctive features within the townscape.

The main building and the ancillary features were designed by the noted Scottish architect, James Gillespie Graham, who was prolific during the first-half of the 19^th century. Most noted for his work in the Scottish baronial style and in the Gothic Revival style, he designed a large number of country houses and gothic churches, specialising in interiors. His work was heavily influenced by his friend, Augustus Welby Pugin, who was the key figure in the ascendency of the gothic style in Victorian Britain. In addition to his design for the Edinburgh Institute for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb, Gillespie Graham's designs in the classical style include his work for the Moray Estate scheme in Edinburgh's New Town (from 1822), and Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin, Moray (LB30864), which is considered to be one of the finest neo-classical buildings in Scotland.

The ancillaries have remained relatively unaltered since they were constructed in the early 19^th century. There have been incremental changes to the buildings' fabric, however, they remain as a cohesive group and their historic character overall is well retained. This authenticity adds to their special interest in listing terms.

Setting

The main building was designed as part of a planned ensemble by the architect James Gillespie Graham, which included the boundary walls, gatepiers and the gate lodge. The main building was intentionally positioned at the centre of the site to ensure that it would be the notable feature when viewed from the principal entrance on Henderson Row. It is set back from the street beyond an area of landscaped ground, which is fronted by a prominent public entranceway. The relatively narrow southern boundary of the site that fronts Henderson Row, combined with the mature planting, gives the building and its grounds a very private character.

In contrast to the gatepiers, the associated gate lodge was intentionally designed to be low in height, narrow in plan, and was set against the western boundary of the site, to ensure that it did not interrupt views towards the main building. As it is set back from the street frontage, the lodge is recessive and does not form a key feature of the entranceway on Henderson Row.

The site is located within the New Town Conservation Area and the formal planning, materials and neo-classical style of the main building and its original ancillaries are consistent with the special character of the conservation area. The height of the surrounding buildings, coupled with the mature planting and narrow entrance on Henderson Row means that the main building can only be glimpsed from the street is therefore not prominent within, or out with their immediate townscape setting.

Together with the Grecian-style Edinburgh Academy by William Burn to the east (LB27973), which dates from 1826-32, the buildings were among the earliest to be built on Henderson Row and contribute to much of its historic character. The low-level massing of these two buildings is contrasted by the high-density character of the later tenements on either side. These include Nos. 56-60 and 62-70 Henderson Row (Listed Building Refs. LB29023 and LB29024) to the immediate west, which were built around 1863. The construction of these later tenements changed the wider setting of the former Donaldson's site, however the use of ashlar sandstone, slate roofs and the neo-classical style means that they are largely in keeping with the character of the earlier buildings.

Historic interest

Age and rarity

School buildings that were erected before the educational reforms of the later 19th century are not common in Scotland but only a very small proportion of these were used to teach the deaf. Surviving examples of those that were specifically built for the education of deaf children are exceptionally rare across both Scotland and the United Kingdom and may be of special historic interest in terms of the listing criteria.

The associated ancillaries (the gate lodge, gatepiers and boundary walls) form part of the overall campus grouping, which are of special historic interest for their early date as part of the Gillespie Graham's original design. They are good surviving examples of their date and type and their materials, design and positioning compliment the main building as the architectural focal point. Together with the main building, they represent the earliest example of a purpose-built school for the education of deaf children that survives within Scotland, and is amongst the earliest examples in Britain.

Social historical interest

The former Edinburgh Institute for the Deaf and Dumb is among a small number of surviving schools in Scotland and the United Kingdom that were specifically built for deaf children.

The Edinburgh Institution for the Deaf and Dumb was established in 1810 and was the first charitable institution for the deaf in Scotland. The head of the Institution, Robert Kinniburgh, undertook tours of the country, sometimes accompanied by some of his pupils. This was intended to raise funds to send more deaf children to the Institution, from places outside of Edinburgh. However, his work inspired others to establish other charitable deaf and dumb institutions in Scottish towns and cities. These included; Aberdeen (established in 1819), Glasgow (also established in 1819) and Dundee (established in the early 1820s).

The building and its ancillaries tell us about the provision of education for Scotland's deaf children from the early 19th century, in an era when the notion of the 'rational' body and mind became of principal concern to the respectable middle-classes. The survival of these buildings tells us about the aims and ideals of such institutions, which sought to turn people into 'useful', self-supporting adults, thereby lessoning the burden on society. However, they also wanted to enrich them on a moral and spiritual level. Surviving examples of these buildings also inform us about 19th century attitudes towards disability or physical impairment, which were seen a 'problem' that required either medical correction or institutional confinement.

The additions and changes to the main building and the site illustrates how it has been developed to meet the evolving needs of the Institution. This reflects the changes in educational methods and practice towards deaf children, which have occurred since the Institution was first established in the early 19th century.

Association with people or events of national importance

There is no association with a person or event of national importance.

Statutory address and listed building record revised in 2021. Previously listed as 'Donaldson's School for the Deaf Lodges and Gates, Henderson Row'.

Other Information

The school premises were used in location filming for the 1970 film 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie', which was based on the book by Muriel Spark and starred Dame Maggie Smith and Robert Stephens.

The Education Act of 1872 made it compulsory for all parents to educate their children. Although the parents of deaf children were not specifically exempt, this was never enforced against such parents on the grounds they had a reasonable excuse (Society for the Education of the Deaf). The Education Act of 1919 made no specific changes to the education of deaf children, except to extend the duration of their education, in line with all other children (5 years until 18 years).

External Links

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