The history of Acheson House
Acheson House’s history stretches back to 1633 when it was built by one of King Charles I’s ministers, Sir Archibald Acheson. During the 17th century, the Canongate was the desired residential location for the wealthy elite as it was less crowded than the Lawnmarket or High Street and was much closer to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Canongate
The house was built just off Canongate accessed through Bakehouse Close, the main entrance of the building being hidden behind a walled courtyard. A close look at the stonework rendering reveals the skill that the Edinburgh stonemasons who built the house displayed.
If you look above one of the doorways, you can actually see the Acheson family crest carved into the stone which features a cockerel and a trumpet. You can also see that there is a monogram of Archibald Acheson and his wife Margaret Hamilton’s initials.
When it was built, there is no doubt that this would be one of the grandest residences in the city, reflecting the power and influence of the owner.
Changing Hands
Unfortunately, Acheson was not able to enjoy his new residence for long because he died in 1634. Inherited by his son, he quickly sold it to Patrick Wood, a wealthy Edinburgh merchant.
Over the next 200 years it would go on to be sold many, many times and was eventually split up into a tenement. By the 1800s the house had become overcrowded and somewhat dilapidated and was colloquially known as the ‘Cock and Trumpet’ thanks to the Acheson family crest above the doorway.
Slum Clearance
1924 saw the house bought as part of a slum clearance, as declining living standards saw many buildings in this area overcrowded with a rise in illness and disease. It was then bought by the Marquess of Bute who wished to save it from demolition.
Restoration
In 1935 he commissioned eminent architects Neil and Hard to restore the building and they and their expert stonemasons worked on both the interior and exterior of this beautiful stone building. Thanks to the Marquess of Bute’s money, the building was restored to its former glory, just like he had done for both Gladstone’s Land and houses on Charlotte Square.
Scottish Craft Centre
Acheson House eventually became the Scottish Craft Centre in the 1950s before returning to the ownership of Edinburgh Council in 1991. After standing empty for the last few years, the ground floor is now to become part of the Museum of Edinburgh and the first floor will be the head office of Edinburgh World Heritage.
If you want to get a real taste of Edinburgh history and experience one of the finest stone buildings in the city, then a trip to Acheson House should definitely be on your itinerary.
Why Choose Us:
- We have over 30 years hands-on experience as stonemasons
- We have a full range of expert stonemasonry and sandstone restoration skills
- We only use lime mortar for re-pointing, sandstone repairs and building work
- We choose our team based on the quality of their work and quality of their character
- Flexible Quoting: we come at a time that suits you, even on the same day if required
Stone Repairs
Do your stones’ need repairing due to weathering and old age? If so, we can bring them back to new again. As James Allan Stonemasons (Edinburgh), we can offer you two effective methods for repairing your stones, which are part Indenting and lithomex.
Lime Pointing
Properly executed Lime Repointing of masonry using lime mortars is critical to the long term health of stone structures. It is strongly advised that repointing is carried out using proper lime mortars & correct technique and preparation.
Church Stone Repairs
Repairs to churches call on every type of stonemasonry skill imaginable, including stone replacement, stone restoration, stone carving and lime pointing. We are able to carry out the stonemasonry restoration of our city’s churches.