55 Abbeyhill – The Armenian Aghtamar Lake Van Monastery in Exile Restaurant
The subjects comprise a category B-listed, Robert Morham designed former police station dating to 1896. It is a single storey building of red sandstone construction contained beneath a pitched and slated roof.
This is a richly detailed property featuring 6 bay windows with a round arched doorway and numerous animal gargoyles attached to the parapet. Its Romanesque design and fish scale slates to the corner turrets bring a uniqueness and characteristic rarely seen in Edinburgh.
A large, studded oak entrance door leads into an entrance hallway and an irregular shaped floor space. There are two halls, the largest of which, Sergeant’s Hall, has an original parquet floor leading to a kitchen (no fixtures and fittings remain), WCs, stores and an office. The stores to the rear are believed to be former police cells.
The orchard to the rear can be accessed directly via a back door or a side gate.
53A Abbeyhill – A pumphouse with a history steeped in brewing
The subject comprises a former pumphouse of brick construction and a harled render with a timber facia contained beneath a pitched and slated roof. The main entrance doors are timber.
The pumphouse sits on the western flank of the site affronting an orchard containing a number of fruit trees including plum, apple and pear. The orchard can be accessed from the rear of 55 Abbeyhill but also from Abbeyhill itself via a side gate.
Running to the rear of the orchard is a boundary wall shared with Network Rail with the East Coast Main Line directly above.
Location
Abbeyhill is one of the oldest areas of Edinburgh lying to the east of the city centre adjacent to the green expanses of Holyrood Park, Arthur’s Seat and Salisbury Crags.
The surrounding area is residential in nature but busy with tourists visiting landmarks such as the Palace of Holyrood House, Scottish Parliament and The Royal Mile.
The subject is located on Abbeyhill which connects with Canongate and Calton Road, close to its junction with Abbeyhill Crescent. It is directly opposite an entrance to the Palace of Holyrood House.
Public transport is widely available whilst metered and permit car parking can be sought on nearby roads.
We understand there is one allocated car parking space with the subjects located within Abbeyhill Crescent to the rear of the pumphouse.