Over the Easter weekend I took a break from DIY to research the history of Old Comiston House, then cycled out to have a look at it.
The original Comiston is first mentioned in 1337 but all that remains of it is a late 16th or early 17th century tower attached to a Georgian stable block built for the nearby “new” Comiston House. I’d been meaning to visit it for years then noticed recently on Facebook that the stables were being converted into a house so that reminded me of my intention.
The stables are hidden away within a more modern housing estate just off Fairmilehead Park, which was created from part of the old estate of Comiston House. A muddy tree-lined track leads behind the newer houses to the stables, at the south-east corner of which is the old tower.
![](https://www.stravaiging.com/photos/albums/buildings/castles/Old%20Comiston%20House,%20Midlothian/IMG_5242.jpg)
The foreman told me that while the stables are being renovated and converted, the tower will be left as it is save for some consolidation of loose masonry.
![](https://www.stravaiging.com/photos/albums/buildings/castles/Old%20Comiston%20House,%20Midlothian/IMG_5233.jpg)
![](https://www.stravaiging.com/photos/albums/buildings/castles/Old%20Comiston%20House,%20Midlothian/IMG_5240.jpg)
The site was a hive of activity which made for less than photogenic conditions, however the old tower is still an impressive sight to behold.
![](https://www.stravaiging.com/photos/albums/buildings/castles/Old%20Comiston%20House,%20Midlothian/IMG_5241.jpg)
Standing around 6.0m in height, it features a corbelled upper course and a pair of gunloops for defence.
![](https://www.stravaiging.com/photos/albums/buildings/castles/Old%20Comiston%20House,%20Midlothian/IMG_5246.jpg)
![](https://www.stravaiging.com/photos/albums/buildings/castles/Old%20Comiston%20House,%20Midlothian/IMG_5249.jpg)
Unfortunately I forgot to ask about a carved lintel over a doorway inside the courtyard, cut with the initials “WD”, so I will have to go back at some point. A date stone inscribed with the initials AC and MD, the date 1610 and a lozenge over a scroll and rosette, which presumably came from a dormer window on the original Comiston, was later installed in the back wall of a lodge for the current Comiston House. This lodge was still standing (at NT 2453 6886) in 1942 but has since been demolished and I have been unable to ascertain the whereabouts of the date stone.
![](https://www.stravaiging.com/photos/albums/buildings/castles/Old%20Comiston%20House,%20Midlothian/Comiston-pediment.jpg)
Edinburgh, 1911
Leaving the site, I paused on Camus Avenue to take a photo of Old Comiston House‘s successor, Comiston house. Built in 1815 for James Forrest, an advocate and later Lord Provost of Edinburgh, it has now been converted into flats.
![](https://www.stravaiging.com/photos/albums/buildings/houses/Comiston%20House,%20Edinburgh,%20Midlothian/IMG_5254.jpg)
Across Buckstone Terrace from the entrance to Camus Avenue I noticed in interesting-looking squat building in a Georgian or Victorian style.
![](https://www.stravaiging.com/photos/albums/buildings/other/various%20buildings/IMG_5255.jpg)
I’m not sure what it is but it may be something to do with water as there are a lot of springs in the surrounding area. In fact Edinburgh’s first piped water supply originated at the Comiston Springs, a short distance to the north-west of here, with a lead pipe leading to the Royal Mile being constructed in the 1670s.
On the way back home, while reaching the crest of the hill on Greenbank Crescent, I was presented with a magnificent view of Edinburgh Castle bathed in sunlight.
![](https://www.stravaiging.com/photos/albums/buildings/castles/Edinburgh%20Castle,%20Midlothian/IMG_5258.jpg)