16 and 17 Simpson Loan, Former Medical Pavilion, Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Edinburgh

Description

David Bryce, 1872-9, and 1897, Sydney Mitchell and Wilson, with later alterations and additions. 4 tall narrow 4-storey and attic parallel gabled Scots Baronial blocks with conical-roofed corner turrets to S, running N-S, by Bryce, and 5th (Jubilee Pavilion) to W, by Mitchell and Wilson, with linking corridor to N (this area much obscured by later additions) and corridor linking pavilions to former George Watson's Hospital (separately listed). Bryce blocks: bull-faced cream sandstone (from Hailes quarry) with ashlar dressings. Mitchell block: bull-faced red sandstone (from Corsehill and Corncockle quarries, Dumfries) in 'Old Flemish' style. BRYCE PAVILIONS: S (MEADOWS) ELEVATION: narrow crowstepped gables with triple octagonal chimney shafts at gablehead and small louvred openings in gable, flanked by circular towers (now linked by modern glazed balconies); finialled, lucarned, conical roofs with fish-scale slates; moulded bands between 1st and 2nd floors and above 4th; eaves cornice. E AND W ELEVATIONS: 4 gabled 2-bay blocks (gablehead stacks and small windows in gables) with intervening single bays; regularly fenestrated: stone-transomed windows with top hoppers to wards. Advanced gabled bays with gablehead stacks to N: corners corbelled to square at 3rd floor. N ELEVATION: crowstepped gable over 2 centre bays of 3-storey N elevations of pavilions; large shoulder-arched windows to ends of wards and linking corridors, stone-mullioned and -transomed windows to stairs. Large square-section ventilators with conical roofs to each pavilion. 8-pane glazing with casement windows to large shoulder-arched windows; stone-transomed windows to wards with opening top hoppers (much repoacement glazing). Graded grey slates. Stone skews. Corniced gablehead stacks with some circular cans. Painted cast-iron down pipes with some decorative hoppers. JUBILEE PAVILION: S ELEVATION: narrow central bay with crowstepped gable (damaged) flanked by splayed polygonal corner towers, now linked by modern glazed balconies to all floors; buttresses to ground floor, stone-mullioned and -transomed bipartite windows to 2nd and 3rd floors of outer faces, bipartite with segmental pediment to 4th; stone-finialled curvilinear gablehead with decorative lantern/ventilator and key-blocked circular window in gable. W AND E ELEVATIONS: 10-bay elevation to ward; stone-transomed windows with top hoppers to 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors. Centre 2 bays crowstep-gabled and flanked by ogee-capped polygonal turrets; segmental pediments to windows at 3rd floor, key-blocked oval window in gable. Advanced block to N with polygonal towers at re-entrant angles; 5-bay elevation to W: 4-storey canted outer bays; stone-mullioned and -transomed windows to 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors; crowstepped gabled centre bay with gablehead stack; E elevation partly obscured by later buildings; crowstepped 2-bay block to left with stepped stack; advanced tower to centre with stop-chamfered corners, mansard roof and decorative lantern/ventilator; advanced crowstepped bay to right with tripartite stone-mullioned and -transomed window; bipartite to left and 2 windows with segmental pediments breaking eaves to right to intervening bays. N ELEVATION: finialled ogee-roofed tower at NE corner with key-blocked circular voids to each face flanked by paired pilasters; small tripartite windows to each floor in arch-headed recess. 2 crowstepped gabled blocks to right with intervening single bay. Door with arched fanlight in round-arched opening to left of left bay with round-arched opening to right and circular window to centre at ground; tall round-headed windows stepping up towards right lighting stair at 1st and 2nd floors; round-headed window to centre flanked by tall window to left, smaller window to right at 3rd floor. Stone-mullioned and -transomed tripartite windows to each floor in centre bay; curved pediment to small window breaking eaves to attic. Bay to right irregularly fenestrated; windows at ground and 1st floors (stone-mullioned and transomed at ground, modern at 1st) flanked by swept buttress; small windows in gable. Predominantly small-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows. Greenish slates. Only one corniced ashlar stack visible (no cans).

Statement of Interest

A-group comprising Lodge (with boundary walls, railings, gates, gatepiers and lamp standards), Statue of George II, main block (including linked ward pavilions) of Royal Infirmary, former Watson's Hospital, Medical Pavilions including Jubilee Pavilion, former Nurses' Home, Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion, former Florence Nightingale Nurses' Home, Chalmers Hospital and 29-33 Chalmers Street (former Queen Mary Nursing Home).

The Medical pavilions were intended to be separated from the main block by a long corridor 'to prevent cross-infection.' Their planning shows the influence of the continental pavilion-plan hospitals advocated by Florence Nightingale, and of St Thomas's Hospital, London (1868-71, by Henry Currey, a pupil of Decimus Burton), particularly in the similarity in the way in which the row of pavilions addresses the Meadows, just as those at St Thomas's addressed the River Thames.

A plaque on the southwest corner of the Mitchell block (which was the gynaecological ward) reads 'Diamond Jubilee Pavilion'. Before alteration in 1968 this building carried a commemorative stone reading: 'Anno Domini 1897 Dedicated to the glory of God and the healing of human suffering in commemoration of the sixtieth anniversary of the accession to the throne of her most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria. The thank offering of many for the great benefits bestowed upon the Realm during her reign.' A brass plaque in a green marble surround surmounted by a heraldic crest in the interior reads 'Victoria Diamond Jubilee pavilion. Built in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee of her Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria. Opened by her Royal Highness Princess Henry of Battenberg on the 26th Day of October 1900.'

Statutory address amended in 2011. Previously listed as ' 1 Lauriston Place, Royal Infirmary, Medical Pavilions, Including Jubilee Pavilion and Linking Corridor'.

Statutory address amended in 2013 from '16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25 and 26 Simpson Loan, Former Royal Infirmary Medical Pavilions' to '1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25 and 26 Simpson Loan, Former Royal Infirmary Medical Pavilions'.

Statutory address amended in 2021. Previously listed as '1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25 and 26 Simpson Loan, Former Royal Infirmary Medical Pavilions'

External Links

Historic Environment Scotland Listing

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