Craig House, Edinburgh
Encyclopedia
Craig House is a historic house and estate located on Easter Craiglockhart Hill, between the Craiglockhart
and Morningside
areas of Edinburgh
, Scotland
. Old Craig House dates from the 16th century, and succeeded an earlier building. In the late 19th century it was purchased by the Royal Edinburgh Hospital
, and the site was developed as Craig House Hospital, a psychiatric hospital
, including substantial new buildings. Following refurbishment, the site was opened in 1996 as the Craighouse Campus of Edinburgh Napier University.
, and in 1528 the Abbot of Newbattle
granted a charter here. The original house was burned down by the Earl of Hertford
in 1544, during the Rough Wooing.
(1809–1881) lived at Craig House. In the 1880s it was described as "a weird-looking mansion, alleged to be ghost-haunted" in Cassell's Old and New Edinburgh.
, Physician Superintendent of the Edinburgh Lunatic Asylum (later the Royal Edinburgh Hospital
), oversaw the purchase of Craig House by the managers of the Asylum in 1878. The site was intended for paying patients, and development was funded through the sale of land at the existing Asylum in Morningside. The new buildings at Craig House were planned by Clouston, and designed by the architect Sydney Mitchell
in 1887. Work began in 1889 on the large main building, a hospital block, and three detached villas, all of which were complete by 1894. The main building, New Craig House, was intentionally grand, resembling a country house or hotel rather than an institution. It is designed in a picturesque
"free Renaissance" style, with elements taken from French Renaissance architecture
. The interiors include a great hall and a billiard room
.
The hospital was renamed the Thomas Clouston Clinic in 1972, but closed in the early 1990s due to changes in the way mental illness
was treated, and the increasing emphasis on care in the community
.
In March 2011, Edinburgh Napier University sold the campus for residential development, and is expected to have moved out completely by 2013.
Craiglockhart
Craiglockhart is a suburb in the south west of Edinburgh, Scotland, lying between Colinton to the south, Morningside to the east Merchiston to the north east and Kingsknowe to the west...
and Morningside
Morningside, Edinburgh
Morningside is a district in the south-west of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is south of the areas of Bruntsfield, Burghmuirhead ; south-west of Marchmont, and south-east of Merchiston...
areas of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Old Craig House dates from the 16th century, and succeeded an earlier building. In the late 19th century it was purchased by the Royal Edinburgh Hospital
Royal Edinburgh Hospital
The Royal Edinburgh Hospital is a psychiatric hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is operated by the Primary and Community Division of NHS Lothian...
, and the site was developed as Craig House Hospital, a psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
, including substantial new buildings. Following refurbishment, the site was opened in 1996 as the Craighouse Campus of Edinburgh Napier University.
History
Craig House is recorded in the reign of King David IIDavid II of Scotland
David II was King of Scots from 7 June 1329 until his death.-Early life:...
, and in 1528 the Abbot of Newbattle
Abbot of Newbattle
The Abbot of Newbattle was the head of the Cistercian monastic community of Newbattle Abbey, Midlothian. It was founded by David I of Scotland in 1140.-List of abbots:* Radulf, 1140-1147x1150* Amfrid, 1159-1179...
granted a charter here. The original house was burned down by the Earl of Hertford
Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset
Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, 1st Earl of Hertford, 1st Viscount Beauchamp of Hache, KG, Earl Marshal was Lord Protector of England in the period between the death of Henry VIII in 1547 and his own indictment in 1549....
in 1544, during the Rough Wooing.
Old Craig House
The present Old Craig House is dated 1565, although the architecture suggests a later date. It was built for the Symsounes of Craighouse. It later belonged to the Dick family, and was extended to the north-west around 1746. The historian John Hill BurtonJohn Hill Burton
John Hill Burton FRSE was a Scottish advocate, historian and economist. The author of "Life and Correspondence of David Hume", he was secretary of the Scottish Prison Board , and Historiographer Royal ....
(1809–1881) lived at Craig House. In the 1880s it was described as "a weird-looking mansion, alleged to be ghost-haunted" in Cassell's Old and New Edinburgh.
Craig House Hospital
In the 1880s, Dr Thomas CloustonThomas Clouston
Sir Thomas Smith Clouston was a Scottish psychiatrist.Clouston was born in the Birsay parish of Orkney, and educated at Aberdeen Grammar School and the University of Edinburgh. Clouston qualified M.D. with a thesis on the nervous system of the lobster, supervised by John Goodsir...
, Physician Superintendent of the Edinburgh Lunatic Asylum (later the Royal Edinburgh Hospital
Royal Edinburgh Hospital
The Royal Edinburgh Hospital is a psychiatric hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is operated by the Primary and Community Division of NHS Lothian...
), oversaw the purchase of Craig House by the managers of the Asylum in 1878. The site was intended for paying patients, and development was funded through the sale of land at the existing Asylum in Morningside. The new buildings at Craig House were planned by Clouston, and designed by the architect Sydney Mitchell
Sydney Mitchell
Arthur George Sydney Mitchell was a Scottish architect. He designed a large number of bank branches, country houses, churches and church halls...
in 1887. Work began in 1889 on the large main building, a hospital block, and three detached villas, all of which were complete by 1894. The main building, New Craig House, was intentionally grand, resembling a country house or hotel rather than an institution. It is designed in a picturesque
Picturesque
Picturesque is an aesthetic ideal introduced into English cultural debate in 1782 by William Gilpin in Observations on the River Wye, and Several Parts of South Wales, etc. Relative Chiefly to Picturesque Beauty; made in the Summer of the Year 1770, a practical book which instructed England's...
"free Renaissance" style, with elements taken from French Renaissance architecture
French Renaissance architecture
French Renaissance architecture is the style of architecture which was imported to France from Italy during the early 16th century and developed in the light of local architectural traditions....
. The interiors include a great hall and a billiard room
Billiard room
A billiard room is a recreation room, such as in a house or recreation center, with a billiards, pool or snooker table...
.
The hospital was renamed the Thomas Clouston Clinic in 1972, but closed in the early 1990s due to changes in the way mental illness
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
was treated, and the increasing emphasis on care in the community
Care in the Community
Care in the Community is the British policy of deinstitutionalization, treating and caring for physically and mentally disabled people in their homes rather than in an institution...
.
Craighouse Campus
In 1994, Edinburgh Napier University purchased the 60 acres (24.3 ha) estate, and commenced a £14 million refurbishment, funded by a Historic Building Grant. The new campus opened in September 1996. The campus is home to the social science and communication arts courses, as well as the Ian Tomlin School of Music and the University Principal's Office.In March 2011, Edinburgh Napier University sold the campus for residential development, and is expected to have moved out completely by 2013.