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Buildings

Basic Site Details

Villas, Mortonhall Road
Edinburgh
A Listed
Scotland
No 33 was built for Kinross himself.

The four houses at Mortonhall Road (one on the corner 14 Oswald Road), designed en suite were built for Andrew Thomson, of Bannockburn. There were originally only intended to be three (see Dean of Guild, 13/5/1897) leaving one of the four plots blank, but the architect chose to squeeze in No 33, the fourth house named Seven gables, for himself once the money proved to be forthcoming (Dean of Guild 12/8/1897). The villas were avant-garde in their restraint, the degree of comfort and convenience provided throughout and in the modern interpretation of the 17th century Scottish style. No 33 was named Steven Gables and was the most lavishly appointed of the group and cost more than £4,268 to build. The designs were exhibited at the RSA and their influence was wide. All are of fire-proof construction and have terraced gardens falling steeply to the suburban railway cutting.

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:

Class classic

ClassificationOriginal ClassificationNotes
VillaNot Known

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:

Str Add classic

AddressCurrent AddressNotes
31-35 Mortonhall RoadYes
14 Oswald RoadYes

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:

event classic

Event TypeFromToNotes
1898

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.

design classic

PersonPartnership GroupRoleFromToNotes
Bailey Scott MurphyA1898As assistant to John Kniross
Harold Ogle TarboltonA1898HS suggests he may have designed the plasterwork in no 33
John KinrossA1898
Kinross & TarboltonA1898

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:

client classic

NameNotes
Kinross, JohnBuilt no 33 for himself
Thomson, AndrewOf Herd's Brae, Bannockburn - client for other villas
Barton, john Fraser of William Barton & sons, plumbersClient for no 14 Oswald Road

Related Buildings, Structures and Designs

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:

bio ref classic

AuthorYearTitlePartPublisherNotes
Gifford, John, McWilliam, Colin and Walker, David M1984Edinburgh (The Buildings of Scotland)Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltdp599

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:

arc ref classic

SourceNameCat NumberItem NameNotes
Edinburgh City ArchivesEdinburgh Dean of Guild13/5/1897, 12/8/1897, 31/3/1898, 2/6/1898. Further plans in private hands.
RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination PapersBailey Scott Murphy: L v19 no 1476
Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register30578No 33
Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register30579No 35
Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register30577No 31
Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register30589No 14 Oswald Road