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Muirhouse Mansion 36 Marine Drive, Edinburgh |
Muirhouse Mansion - 2010
© Peter Stubbs Please contact peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk Photograph taken September 12. 2010
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Muirhouse Mansion |
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Marine Drive Muirhouse Mansion stands on the north side of Marine Drive, across the road from Edinburgh Caravan Club campsite, about half a mile to the east of the beach at Silverknowes. Early HIstory RCAHMS (The Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historic Monuments of Scotland describes the mansion as "an extravagant Gothic Tudor Mansion built 1830-32, with a plethora of ornamental chimneys, windows and gables, full of Gothic detail, and is crowned by a battlemented tower." Recent History Edinburgh photographers, Campbell Harper Studios Ltd (later Robb & Campbell Harper Studios Ltd) used these premises from 1971 until 1983. I was also told by one of the occupants living there now that, at one time, the mansion was Drylaw Police Station. The building currently (at September 2010) provides 'bed and breakfast' accommodation, though I believe there are plans to convert it to flats. |
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Reply 1. Stewart Dickson Edinburgh |
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Thank you to Stewart Dickson for writing with some interesting information about the history of Muirhouse Mansion. Stewart wrote: |
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Woolward Royds "Someone mentions, above, that Muirhouse Mansion was used by an Edinburgh photographer. I can assure you that from the late-1970s to the early-1980s it was in fact used by Woolward Royds Advertising. I worked there. The Chairman of Woolward Royds was Bill Woolward. His office was in the tower. He was a keen sailor and had his telescope up there to watch the Forth and the yachts of his club The Royal Forth Yacht Club. The agency moved to Muirhouse Mansion form Castle Terrace. Hoisting the Flag "My morning job, in all weathers, was to raise the Woodward`s flag up the pole on the tower roof. We had many good times there." Gorge Best "We even had George Best down for a photo shoot on the lawn at the front. It was for lawn mowers, and that was the only time we were allowed to play football there. George wanted a 'kick about', so I can say I played against George Best. When I look back I now realise what a great time I had there." Stewart Dickson, Edinburgh: September 18, 2015 |
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Campbell Harper I was the person who referred to Muirhouse Mansion as having been used by a photographer until 1983. I assumed that to be the case, after finding the following entries in old Edinburgh trade directories: 1971-73 Campbell Harper 36 Marine Drive 1975-83 Robb & Campbell Harper Studios Ltd. Marine Drive However, after reading Stewart Dickson's interesting memories above, I'll have to revise this assumption. Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: September 19, 2015 |
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including Eagle Gates and Muirhouse Towers |