Doors Open Day

It was Doors Open Day today, and I managed to pop along to see two very interesting and very different buildings.

Firstly, I popped down to see Oakvale (top two photos) in Marchmont, which was built in 1844 by Bishop James Gillies (who had originally wanted to build a cathedral on the landed, but only got as far as building a mansion). Since 1995, the house has been owned by William Purves, Funeral Directors, and has been refurbished back to its original Victorian splendour. The house is absolutely beautiful, and has amazing cornicing, as well as a stunning central staircase. 

My second visit was to see the Chapel of Saint Albert the Great (bottom two photos), which has been built on an extension to one of the Georgian houses in George Square (coincidentally, the house was previously home to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle between 1876-1889). 

The awarding winning Chapel is part of St Albert’s Catholic Chaplaincy, which serves the spiritual needs of Catholic staff and students of Edinburgh’s Universities.  It belongs to the Dominican Friars who built it in the their back garden in 2012. 

I found both buildings had a certain tranquility and serenity about them.

All in all, two very different buildings but both beautiful.

I hope you have had a good Sunday.