Building record MAB6735 - ANDERSON'S INSTITUTION, SOUTH COLLEGE STREET, ELGIN

School and care home built by Archibald Simpson in 1830-33 in the Greek revival style.

School and care home built by Archibald Simpson in 1830-33 in the Greek revival style. It was founded by Lt Gen Anderson in 1833 as a school for the young and home for the old. The care home is a large two-storey H-plan range, with the school to South. The care home is constructed from polished ashlar to front (North) facade, with finely tooled ashlar to the flanks and polished ashlar dressings. The main elevation has 14 bays, the outer three bays being advanced and pedimented. There is a central Ionic portico, with frieze, cornice, and block pediment supporting sculptured figures. There is a coade stone sculpture over the portico, depicting Anderson giving food to the old and learning to youth. There is an inscription above the portico that reads 'Elgin Institution for Support of Old Age and Education of Youth'. Set back behind pediment is a circular domed cupola on square plinth, with eight Corinthian pilasters between louvred openings. The West elevation has seven bays, with the second and sixth bays being advanced, with a hexastyle Roman Doric portico between them. There are corniced stacks and a shallow piended slate roof. Inside, there is a domed and pilastered entrance hall, with a coffered ceiling and a plain staircase. The school (now East End Primary School) was also built by Archibald Simpson in 1830-33, but with later additions by John Wittet in 1903. There is a large rectangular school hall in a classical style, linked to Anderson's Institution by a service wing. The South-facing front of the building is now fronted by Wittet's addition, with a central four-bay block and a five-bay block flanking on either side. The gable ends of the blocks are pedimented, and constructed of finely tooled ashlar with shallow gabled slate roofs and long multi-paned windows. To the West of the care home, there are a pair of single monolith panelled gatepiers with square copes with egg and dart frieze, and cast-iron railings, and there are coursed rubble garden walls with dressed copes. There is also an entrance lodge, also built by Archibald Simpson (NJ26SW0400).

Period Notes
Built in 1830-33, with additions to the school in 1903. Listed designation given on 26/01/1971.

MACKINTOSH, HB, 1914, ELGIN PAST & PRESENT, 125-6 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1144.

Jun 18 1986 , GF 27-37, GF 27-37 (Ground Photograph). SAB30585.

Jun 18 1986 , GH 1-5, GH 1-5 (Ground Photograph). SAB30584.

Author unknown, n.d., INVERNESS JOURNAL, 15/01/1830 (Bibliographic reference). SAB854.

Sep 17 2016 , AAS-GR-16-09-049 - 054, AAS-GR-16-09-049 - 054 (Ground Photograph). SAB35419.

Record last edited

Feb 23 2022 2:00PM