 Today Dalry House is situated in a side street off one of Edinburgh's
busiest suburban roads. Now it is surrounded by tenement flats and has one
of the local primary schools as an immediate neighbour. The once extensive
grounds that stretched from the top of Lothian Road and extended westward
to Gorgie are now reduced to two small strips of 'front garden'.
The original Dalry House was
probably built by a member of the Chieslie family about 1661 in the area
which was known as the 'Lands of Dalry'. A son of the Chieslie family murdered
Lord President Lockhart in 1680 because a court verdict was awarded
against him in a domestic matter. Mr Chieslie was hanged and for a long
time after his ghost was said to haunt Dalry House.
During the late 19th century Dalry
House was used as a Teacher Training College until around 1960. It then
came into the possession of Edinburgh & Leith Old People's Welfare
committee and was opened as a Day Centre offering classes in handicrafts,
keep-fit, dancing and a lunch club for the frail elderly until Dalry House
was closed on 31st August 2002.
Over the years and during the
various ownerships both interier and exterior have been extensively
altered. Of particular interest inside is the King Charles Room with a
striking ceiling showing various emblems which include the Honours of
Scotland and a crowned Saltire. |
