Pollock Halls of Residence
Encyclopedia
Pollock Halls of Residence are the main halls of residence for the University of Edinburgh
, located at the foot of Arthur's Seat
in Edinburgh
, Scotland
. They are located on the edge of Holyrood Park
, 1¼ miles (2 km) southeast of the centre of Edinburgh.
The two original buildings on site were St Leonard's Hall and Salisbury Green, which were built in the 19th century. Shortly after World War II
, Sir Donald Pollock
(Rector of the University from 1939 to 1945) gifted the site to the University of Edinburgh
and Pollock Halls of Residence came into being.
In the 1960s, a programme was begun to build more modern halls. The first of these was Holland House, which was designed by Sir William Kininmonth
(1904-1988); followed shortly by its sister house, Fraser House. In the early 1990s, Holland House and Fraser House began to be run together, and are simply known these days as Holland House.
In the 1960s six system-built tower blocks were added, named in honour of former Edinburgh University Principals: Baird
, Ewing, Lee, Turner, Brewster (since demolished) and Grant. At the same time, a Refectory block was opened. This was later named the John McIntyre
Centre after the first Senior Warden of the complex, who also acted for a time as a Principal of the University.
The (at the time) largest house, Cowan House, was opened in 1973 replacing a hall of the same name which was demolished to make way for the regeneration of George Square. It was demolished in 2001 along with Brewster House. They were demolished to make way for Chancellor's Court, which opened in 2003 and is now the largest on the site.
A further hall, Masson House, was added in the early 1990s. The original Masson had been next to Cowan in George Square, but this was replaced by a Victorian house on South Lauder Road, which was extended for the purpose in 1966, but later sold.
In 2001 and 2002, Cowan House and Brewster House were demolished to make way for the new Chancellors Court development, which opened in 2003 and is now the largest on the site.
Pollock Halls of Residence are available to members of the public on a bed & breakfast basis during the vacation periods of The University of Edinburgh.http://www.edinburghfirst.com/
The Houses currently in Pollock Halls are:
, Principal of the University from 1793 to 1840. The house is generally kept the busiest of the tower blocks throughout the vacation period.
. Its construction began in 2001 when Cowan House was demolished, with the first phase opening in 2003. The final phase of the development was completed in 2004. Chancellor's Court has 526 bedrooms and three Wardens flats.
Several protests were held during construction, against construction company Balfour Beatty
, who were at the time (2001) involved in the controversial Ilisu dam
project. One of the protests was led by Mark Thomas
, who helped the Edinburgh University People and Planet group organise a 'sit in' where students blocked the entrance to the building site. After these and other protests, Balfour Beatty withdrew their support for the Ilisu dam project. http://www.ilisu.org.uk/news23.html
Chancellor's Court is named after the Duke of Edinburgh, Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh.
, Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1916 to 1929.
Former British prime minister Gordon Brown
is a notable alumnus of the house.
.
It is a six-storey tower block, which was opened in 1967, and has been used as a student hall of residence continually ever since. These days it houses 195 students in single study bedrooms. It also contains two flats for the live-in Wardens. It was named after Sir Alexander Grant
(1826-1884), principal of the University from 1868 to 1885.
Famous people to have lived in Grant House include Scottish Rugby
captain Gregor Townsend
.
Holland House was named after Sir Thomas Henry Holland
, Principal of the University from 1929 to 1944.
, Principal of the University from 1840 to 1859.
, Principal of the University from 1903 to 1916. It can hold up to 203 residents, with the majority of rooms being single study rooms, with shared toilets and showers, and 2 double sized rooms on the 1st and 5th floor for house wardens.
, former principal of the University of Edinburgh.
, principal of the University from 1859 to 1868.
The building that used to be called Fraser House still exists, but has been merged with Holland House. Fraser House was named after Sir John Fraser, Principal of the University from 1944 to 1948.
http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst10257.html
Along with Salisbury Green, St Leonard's Hall is one of the original buildings on the Pollock Halls site. It is a Baronial style
building, with pepper-pot turrets and a tower with corbelled-out
bartizan
s and a cap-house which is said to be reminiscent of a Highland Croft House
.
These days, St. Leonard's Hall is home to the administrative offices of The University of Edinburgh Accommodation Services, as well as function suites which are used for conferences and other functions.
The building was used as a Red Cross Hospital during World War I
and thereafter served as the St. Trinnean's School for Girls
until the Second World War, during which it became an Air Raid Precautions
and Home Guard Headquarters. When the Halls of Residence were first started, St Leonard's became a hall of residence for female students until the completion of the more modern buildings on the site, when it adopted its current function as the administrative centre for the complex. A sympathetic internal restoration was completed post 2000.
Salisbury Green was one of the two original buildings on site, along with St Leonard's Hall. It was originally built around 1780 by Alexander Scott
, and was extended again repeatedly - firstly in 1820, then remodelled in the baronial style in 1860-67 by architect John Lessels
for its resident at the time, the publisher William Nelson (1816-87).
The building was acquired by the University after World War II and extended once again in 1979. Several of its public rooms have been restored including the bow-fronted drawing room to the east, the Red Room with ebony fittings and the oak-panelled billiard room. Its interior includes rich painting by Charles Frechou.
In 2006, Salisbury Green was given a thorough refurbishment, and now operates as a hotel. It no longer houses students.
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, located at the foot of Arthur's Seat
Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh
Arthur's Seat is the main peak of the group of hills which form most of Holyrood Park, described by Robert Louis Stevenson as "a hill for magnitude, a mountain in virtue of its bold design". It is situated in the centre of the city of Edinburgh, about a mile to the east of Edinburgh Castle...
in 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...
. They are located on the edge of Holyrood Park
Holyrood Park
Holyrood Park is a royal park in central Edinburgh, Scotland about a mile to the east of Edinburgh Castle. It has an array of hills, lochs, glens, ridges, basalt cliffs, and patches of whin providing a remarkably wild piece of highland landscape within its area...
, 1¼ miles (2 km) southeast of the centre of Edinburgh.
History of Site
http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst11450.htmlThe two original buildings on site were St Leonard's Hall and Salisbury Green, which were built in the 19th century. Shortly after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Sir Donald Pollock
J. Donald Pollock
Sir John Donald Pollock was Rector of the University of Edinburgh from 1939 to 1945 and gifted land to the University to build halls of residence. Pollock Halls of Residence were built on the site, and were named for him....
(Rector of the University from 1939 to 1945) gifted the site to the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
and Pollock Halls of Residence came into being.
In the 1960s, a programme was begun to build more modern halls. The first of these was Holland House, which was designed by Sir William Kininmonth
William Kininmonth (architect)
Sir William Hardie Kininmonth was a Scottish architect whose work mixed a modern style with Scottish vernacular.- Biography :...
(1904-1988); followed shortly by its sister house, Fraser House. In the early 1990s, Holland House and Fraser House began to be run together, and are simply known these days as Holland House.
In the 1960s six system-built tower blocks were added, named in honour of former Edinburgh University Principals: Baird
George Husband Baird
George Husband Baird was a Church of Scotland minister, educational reformer and the Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1793 to 1840.-Early life:...
, Ewing, Lee, Turner, Brewster (since demolished) and Grant. At the same time, a Refectory block was opened. This was later named the John McIntyre
John McIntyre (theologian)
John McIntyre CVO was a Scottish minister and theologian.-Biography:McIntyre was born in Glasgow on 20 May 1916 into a working-class family; he was the son of a carpenter...
Centre after the first Senior Warden of the complex, who also acted for a time as a Principal of the University.
The (at the time) largest house, Cowan House, was opened in 1973 replacing a hall of the same name which was demolished to make way for the regeneration of George Square. It was demolished in 2001 along with Brewster House. They were demolished to make way for Chancellor's Court, which opened in 2003 and is now the largest on the site.
A further hall, Masson House, was added in the early 1990s. The original Masson had been next to Cowan in George Square, but this was replaced by a Victorian house on South Lauder Road, which was extended for the purpose in 1966, but later sold.
In 2001 and 2002, Cowan House and Brewster House were demolished to make way for the new Chancellors Court development, which opened in 2003 and is now the largest on the site.
Current Houses
These days, the complex houses around 1900 students on full board. http://www.accom.ed.ac.uk/accom_info/accommodation_guide/Accommodation_Full_Board.htmPollock Halls of Residence are available to members of the public on a bed & breakfast basis during the vacation periods of The University of Edinburgh.http://www.edinburghfirst.com/
The Houses currently in Pollock Halls are:
Baird House
Baird House is a five-storey tower block which was built in the 1960s. It houses 167 students and two wardens. http://www.travelstay.com/printAccom.asp?id=645 Named after George Husband BairdGeorge Husband Baird
George Husband Baird was a Church of Scotland minister, educational reformer and the Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1793 to 1840.-Early life:...
, Principal of the University from 1793 to 1840. The house is generally kept the busiest of the tower blocks throughout the vacation period.
Chancellor's Court
Chancellor's Court was built on the land previously occupied by Cowan House and Brewster House. It was designed by Oberlanders Architects and built by Balfour BeattyBalfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty plc is a British construction, engineering, military housing, rail and investment services company. It is one of the largest construction companies in the UK, and the 15th largest in the world...
. Its construction began in 2001 when Cowan House was demolished, with the first phase opening in 2003. The final phase of the development was completed in 2004. Chancellor's Court has 526 bedrooms and three Wardens flats.
Several protests were held during construction, against construction company Balfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty plc is a British construction, engineering, military housing, rail and investment services company. It is one of the largest construction companies in the UK, and the 15th largest in the world...
, who were at the time (2001) involved in the controversial Ilisu dam
Ilisu Dam
The Ilisu Dam is an embankment dam under construction on the Tigris River near the village of Ilisu and along the border of Mardin and Sirnak Provinces in Turkey. It is one of the 22 dams of the Southeastern Anatolia Project and its purpose is hydroelectric power production, flood control and...
project. One of the protests was led by Mark Thomas
Mark Thomas
Mark Clifford Thomas is a left-wing English comedian, presenter, political activist and reporter from south London. He first became known as a guest comic on the BBC Radio 1 comedy show The Mary Whitehouse Experience in the late 1980s. He is best known for political stunts on his show, The Mark...
, who helped the Edinburgh University People and Planet group organise a 'sit in' where students blocked the entrance to the building site. After these and other protests, Balfour Beatty withdrew their support for the Ilisu dam project. http://www.ilisu.org.uk/news23.html
Chancellor's Court is named after the Duke of Edinburgh, Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh.
Ewing House
Ewing House is a five-storey tower block which was built in the 1960s. It has 157 rooms. It was named after Sir Alfred James EwingJames Alfred Ewing
Sir James Alfred Ewing KCB FRS FRSE MInstitCE was a Scottish physicist and engineer, best known for his work on the magnetic properties of metals and, in particular, for his discovery of, and coinage of the word, hysteresis.It was said of Ewing that he was 'Careful at all times of his appearance,...
, Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1916 to 1929.
Former British prime minister Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
is a notable alumnus of the house.
Grant House
Grant House is one of the Halls in Pollock Halls of Residence in the University of EdinburghUniversity of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
.
It is a six-storey tower block, which was opened in 1967, and has been used as a student hall of residence continually ever since. These days it houses 195 students in single study bedrooms. It also contains two flats for the live-in Wardens. It was named after Sir Alexander Grant
Alexander Grant (University Principal)
Sir Alexander Grant, 10th Baronet was a British educationalist and Principal of the University of Edinburgh. He was born in New York and died in Edinburgh.-Early life:...
(1826-1884), principal of the University from 1868 to 1885.
Famous people to have lived in Grant House include Scottish Rugby
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
captain Gregor Townsend
Gregor Townsend
Gregor Peter John Townsend MBE is a former Scottish rugby union player who played at fly-half, full back and latterly centre....
.
Holland House
Holland House was opened in 1959, followed shortly after by its sister house, Fraser House (not to be confused with Fraser Court, a block of University flats immediately adjacent to Pollock Halls, which is still in operation). In the early 1990s, Holland House and Fraser House were merged, and are today run as one single house called Holland House, with four blocks (named A up to D). There is also a small annexe which contains two self-catering flats used by postgraduates and mature students.Holland House was named after Sir Thomas Henry Holland
Thomas Henry Holland
Sir Thomas Henry Holland KCSI KCIE FRS was a British geologist and educational administrator.Thomas Holland was born in Helston, Cornwall. In 1884, he won a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Science, graduating with a first class degree in Geology...
, Principal of the University from 1929 to 1944.
Lee House
Lee House is a five-storey tower block which was built in the 1960s. It was named after Sir John LeeJohn Lee (University Principal)
John Lee was a British academic and polymath and was the principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1840 to 1859. He was also a Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland....
, Principal of the University from 1840 to 1859.
Masson House
Masson House is a modern four-storey hall of residence, which holds 133 people in, mostly, single en-suite double-bedded rooms and was built in the 1990s.Turner House
Turner House is a six-storey tower block which was built in the 1960s. It was named after Sir William TurnerWilliam Turner (University Principal)
Sir William Turner was a British anatomist and was the Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1903 to 1916....
, Principal of the University from 1903 to 1916. It can hold up to 203 residents, with the majority of rooms being single study rooms, with shared toilets and showers, and 2 double sized rooms on the 1st and 5th floor for house wardens.
John Burnett House
Having been completed in July 2009, John Burnett House is the newest hall of residence in the Pollock site, named after Sir John BurnettJohn Harrison Burnett
Sir John Harrison Burnett was the Principal of Edinburgh University from 1979 to 1987.-External links:*...
, former principal of the University of Edinburgh.
Brewster House
Brewster House was a five-storey tower block which was built in the 1960s. It was demolished in summer 2002, and the land it stood on was used for the new Chancellors Court building. It was named after Sir David BrewsterDavid Brewster
Sir David Brewster KH PRSE FRS FSA FSSA MICE was a Scottish physicist, mathematician, astronomer, inventor, writer and university principal.-Early life:...
, principal of the University from 1859 to 1868.
Cowan House
Cowan House was a three-story hall of residence which was opened some time before 1933 and re-built in 1973. It comprised six blocks (named A up to F). It was demolished in the summer of 2001 and the land was used for the new Chancellors Court development.Fraser House
See also Holland House, above. Not to be confused with Fraser CourtThe building that used to be called Fraser House still exists, but has been merged with Holland House. Fraser House was named after Sir John Fraser, Principal of the University from 1944 to 1948.
Other Buildings on Site
The other buildings on-site at Pollock Halls are available for use as conference, meeting, dining and function rooms throughout the entire year. Edinburgh First is the commercial arm of the Accommodation Services within the University and is the main point of contact for the hire of these buildings. http://www.edinburghfirst.com/John McIntyre Conference Centre
Comprising refectory, shop, and bar upstairs. The bar was previously known as the 'John McIntyre Centre Bar', but was refurbished and rebranded as 'Centro' in 2004. The building has recently (2009) undergone an extension and comprehensive refurbishment and has been renamed the John McIntyre Conference Centre.Reception Centre
Opened in 1999, where administrative functions are based. The security team also have their office here.St Leonard's Hall
Along with Salisbury Green, St Leonard's Hall is one of the original buildings on the Pollock Halls site. It is a Baronial style
Scottish baronial style
The Scottish Baronial style is part of the Gothic Revival architecture style, using stylistic elements and forms from castles, tower houses and mansions of the Gothic architecture period in Scotland, such as Craigievar Castle and Newark Castle, Port Glasgow. The revival style was popular from the...
building, with pepper-pot turrets and a tower with corbelled-out
Corbel
In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
bartizan
Bartizan
A bartizan or guerite is an overhanging, wall-mounted turret projecting from the walls of medieval fortifications from the early 14th century up to the 16th century. They protect a warder and enable him to see around him...
s and a cap-house which is said to be reminiscent of a Highland Croft House
Croft (land)
A croft is a fenced or enclosed area of land, usually small and arable with a crofter's dwelling thereon. A crofter is one who has tenure and use of the land, typically as a tenant farmer.- Etymology :...
.
These days, St. Leonard's Hall is home to the administrative offices of The University of Edinburgh Accommodation Services, as well as function suites which are used for conferences and other functions.
The building was used as a Red Cross Hospital during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and thereafter served as the St. Trinnean's School for Girls
St Trinian's School
St Trinian's is a fictional girls' boarding school, the creation of English cartoonist Ronald Searle, that later became the subject of a popular series of comedy films....
until the Second World War, during which it became an Air Raid Precautions
Air Raid Precautions
Air Raid Precautions was an organisation in the United Kingdom set up as an aid in the prelude to the Second World War dedicated to the protection of civilians from the danger of air-raids. It was created in 1924 as a response to the fears about the growing threat from the development of bomber...
and Home Guard Headquarters. When the Halls of Residence were first started, St Leonard's became a hall of residence for female students until the completion of the more modern buildings on the site, when it adopted its current function as the administrative centre for the complex. A sympathetic internal restoration was completed post 2000.
Salisbury Green
http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst11473.htmlSalisbury Green was one of the two original buildings on site, along with St Leonard's Hall. It was originally built around 1780 by Alexander Scott
Alexander Scott
Alexander Scott was a Scottish poet. He is believed to have spent most of his time in or near Edinburgh. Thirty-six short poems are attributed to him, including Ane New Yeir Gift to Quene Mary, The Rondel of Love, and a satire, Justing at the Drum...
, and was extended again repeatedly - firstly in 1820, then remodelled in the baronial style in 1860-67 by architect John Lessels
John Lessels
John Lessels was a Scottish architect and artist, notably active in Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders. He was responsible for numerous buildings and alteration projects in Berwickshire....
for its resident at the time, the publisher William Nelson (1816-87).
The building was acquired by the University after World War II and extended once again in 1979. Several of its public rooms have been restored including the bow-fronted drawing room to the east, the Red Room with ebony fittings and the oak-panelled billiard room. Its interior includes rich painting by Charles Frechou.
In 2006, Salisbury Green was given a thorough refurbishment, and now operates as a hotel. It no longer houses students.
Trivia
- St Leonard's Hall was a school for girls until World War Two, and was called St Trinnean's. It is reputed to be the inspiration for the St Trinian's SchoolSt Trinian's SchoolSt Trinian's is a fictional girls' boarding school, the creation of English cartoonist Ronald Searle, that later became the subject of a popular series of comedy films....
in the novels of Ronald SearleRonald SearleRonald William Fordham Searle, CBE, RDI, is a British artist and cartoonist, best known as the creator of St Trinian's School. He is also the co-author of the Molesworth series....
http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst10257.html