It was bought in 1643 by the Countess of Moray who it is now named after and thanks to the improvements that she had done to the house, it was called the “handsomest house in Edinburgh”. The building remains one of the finest stone buildings in Edinburgh and the quality of the stonemasonry can be seen on inspection of the fantastic stonework.
The whole of the Moray House building is a sight to behold but externally there are two features that are worthy of particular attention, both due to their fantastic stonework and their place in history.
Entrance
The entrance to Moray House is one of its finest features. The attractive metal gate is hung on two huge rounded pillars surmounted by triangular stone obelisks.
As the gate is normally open, you can walk through look at the southern side of the building. If you look carefully, you can see the initials of the Countess above one of the upstairs windows.
Stone Balcony
Hanging over Canongate is a huge stone balcony that is held up by elegantly carved corbels. This fantastic piece of stonework was the scene of one of the most dramatic moments in the history of Edinburgh.
It was here that the Marquess of Montrose, captured by the Marquess of Argyll was spat on by guests of Lord Lorne and Lady Mary Stuart’s wedding on the way to his execution during the Civil War.
Beautiful Gardens
Moray House wasn’t only just known for the beauty of its building but for its garden too. Once upon a time it had extensive landscaped gardens but today all that remains of these is a beautiful decorative stone arch which remains in what is left of the garden.
Also, in a small side lane you can also see the old garden pavilion. A plain building, its unassuming nature defies the fact that it was at the centre of one of the UK’s biggest political dramas.
It was here that the Earl of Seafield, who was involved with the Act of Union used to meet his supporters away from the prying eyes of those opposed to it.
Moray House Today
In 1848, Moray House became a teacher training college and it remains that to this day, now part of the University of Edinburgh. Thankfully however you don’t have to be a trainee teacher to see inside this wonderful Edinburgh stone building as it is regularly part of Doors Open Day where you can look inside some of the finest Edinburgh buildings. As well as the fine stonework laid by the finest Edinburgh stonemasons, some of the rooms are beautifully decorated with ornate plasterwork ceilings.
The next time you are in Edinburgh and there is a Doors Open Day, a visit to Moray House is well worth your time.
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.