A previously unpublished photograph of a near-mythical lost Edinburgh mansion has appeared online.
Posted on Twitter this week by Edinburgh resident and historian Derrick Johnstone, the image shows the impressive Rockville manor, which once loomed large over the corner of Napier Road and Spylaw Road in the affluent Merchiston area of the city.
The rare colour capture was taken by Derrick’s late father, John Johnstone, in 1966, just prior to the extraordinary-looking building’s demolition.
READ MORE: The stately Edinburgh home ruined by a scandalous family feud and left to rot
Described as "a building to delight every child who enjoys a fairy tale", the distinctive mansion house was built in 1858 by the renowned architect Sir James Gowans as his family home. The grand, five-storey dwelling boasted a 64-foot-high viewing tower and incorporated stone from all the quarries of Scotland, plus samples from continental Europe and the Far East.
Resembling a real-life gingerbread house, and invariably dubbed by locals as “The Pagoda”, “Tottering Towers”, and “Crazy Manor”, Rockville's unique design easily captured the public's imagination.
But while the landmark Merchiston manor was loved by many, it lay empty for long stretches after Gowans’ death and quickly began to deteriorate, leading to its eventual removal.
Many Edinburgh locals of a certain recall exploring the mansion’s vast garden when they were kids - another sign that the building was uninhabited for lengthy spells.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live Derrick Johnstone, Secretary of the Old Edinburgh Club, says his Edinburgh-born father had a great love for the capital’s history and must have been aware of Rockville’s impending demolition at the time he took the photograph.
He said: “Rockville was a spectacular building and it’s difficult to think of any others quite like it in the city. It’s closer to the imaginings of Hollywood film set designers.”
Sign up to our Edinburgh Live nostalgia newsletters for more local history and heritage content straight to your inbox
Taken from a high vantage point, Derrick’s dad’s photo shows how Rockville towered over surrounding villas in the area and gives us a glimpse of its giant garden greenhouse.
Derrick says the mansion must’ve been an extraordinary sight when it was first built. He believes the loss of Rockville was lamentable, but largely inevitable in an era when the powers that be were keen to replace rather than renovate.
He said: “It must’ve been a devil to maintain because it was so complex. When it was first constructed, it used stones from all the quarries in Scotland and it would’ve been even more spectacular before gradually being coated in grit and grime.
“I think a lot of people thought it was an eyesore, that it was looking a bit decrepit. It was certainly poorly maintained.
“It was 1966 and modernity was still the thing. This was before people wanted to conserve such buildings.”
Modern flats now stand on the site that Rockville once proudly occupied, with only the perimeter wall and gate posts of the mansion house having survived.
READ NEXT:
Stunning Edinburgh snaps from 50s and 60s show an evolving city
15 images of Edinburgh fashion that'll take you right back to the 00s
The abandoned Edinburgh church that housed a huge cannabis haul worth £75,000
Remarkable new Edinburgh pictures show the city enjoying the swinging sixties
Edinburgh natives can't decide what we want to be called - here are our options
