Detail of armorial panel above St John's Close, at 176-182 Canongate, Edinburgh, on Canongate elevation.

Description Detail of armorial panel above St John's Close, at 176-182 Canongate, Edinburgh, on Canongate elevation.

Date 24/7/2013

Collection Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu

Catalogue Number DP 158628

Category On-line Digital Images

Scope and Content This ten-bayed, four-storeyed tenement was originally built in 1755, but was reconstructed in 1955 by Alexander Esme Gordon (1910-93) & William Gordon Dey (1911-97) architects. The tenement was originally built for the Earls of Hopetoun, but became part of Moray House College of Education (now University of Edinburgh) in the early 1950s, which prompted the redevelopment work to provide a series of classrooms, staff studies and a theatre within the building. The building retains its rubble stonework, and 12-paned sash and case windows throughout. There is a full-height curved stairtower on the rear elevation (to St John's Street), and a wide pend leading to Canongate from St John's Street. There are two carved panels to each elevation above the pend: the panel to the rear elevation notes that the Scottish poet and author, Tobias George Smollett (1721-71) resided at his sister's house here in 1766, while this panel on the Canongate elevation bears a St Andrew's Cross with a lion rampant, and acts as a datestone for the reconstruction work: 'This building now a part of Moray House College was Erected 1755 Restored 1955'.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/1345452

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap