Basic Site Details

Name: Ashbrook
Town, district or village: Wardie
City or county: Edinburgh
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status: B listed
Grid ref:
Notes: ASHBROOK MANSION, ON THE QUEENSFERRY ROAD, WARDIE, EDINBURGH —For some time past the suburban extension of the city of Edinburgh has been going on, chiefly to the south and west. But it certainly is not because the Wardie estate is less desirable for situation and salubrity. For this suburb offers the most extensive and beautiful panorama of the city which can be had from any point of the compass. This suburb has a view of the Firth of Forth up and down, and of its inlands and the Fife coast unequalled elsewhere. With all these advantages, the Wardie feus have until quite recently been taken up slowly. The largest of the new mansion houses yet erected in this quarter is a very handsome and spacious one, and is well advanced towards completion. The building is in the simple Italian style, and has been designed by Mr Robert R Raeburn, architect, Edinburgh. With the offices it occupies altogether about five acres of ground. The principal feature in the facade is the tower, which rises to the height of fifty feet, and commands a wide and extensive prospect of the surrounding country. In the lower part there is a handsome doorway, with side lights formed of panelled pilasters, carved trusses, circular-headed architraves, frieze, and cornice. The second story is filled in with an ornamental window having a projecting balcony, with dies and balustrade. Separating the second from the third or last stage is a massive projecting balcony, supported on ornamental trusses, and finished by a handsome iron railing. Above this, on each of the four sides of the tower, are three light windows, subdivided by composite columns, the whole being finished with a very rich cornicing. From this cornice the roof begins, and terminates in an ornamental vane. To the left of the tower, in the lower and upper story, two large oriel windows, each consisting of five semi-circular arched windows, light respectively the drawing-room and principal bedroom. On the right of the tower three circular-headed windows occupy the ground and upper floor. The main building facing the west is relieved by the dining and drawing rooms projecting outwards. The windows on this side are similar to those already described, and are finished with richly carved and massive block cornice. The roof is surmounted with a ridge of ornamental iron cresting. A neat ornamental gate lodge and offices are erected at the entrance leading up to the house. This mansion house has been built by a Liverpool merchant, who has evidently spared no expense in order to render this handsome structure as complete as possible. [Building News 26 February 1869 p191]

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:
 NameCurrent name?Notes
Item 1 of 1Ashbrook Mansion  

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1House  

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:
 AddressMain entrance?Notes
Item 1 of 1492, Ferry Road(?)Yes 

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 218681869Build/construction 
Item 2 of 21963 Alterations and additions 

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 4Robert Reid Raeburn  1869  
Item 2 of 4Bernard Laurie Matthew A1963 Alterations
Item 3 of 4Hamish Haldane Haswell-Smith A1963 Alterations
Item 4 of 4Matthew Smith & Partners A1963 Alterations

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:
 NameNotes
Item 1 of 2Kelso, Alexof Liverpool
Item 2 of 2Salvation Army1961 client

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Gifford, John, McWilliam, Colin and Walker, David M1984Edinburgh (The Buildings of Scotland) Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltdp611
Item 2 of 2RSA1868   84

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Building News26 February 1869  p191

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 2Courtesy of Hamish Haswell-SmithInformation sent via 'Contact Us' on website Sent October 2010
Item 2 of 2Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register28753