The former mill lodge brings red sandstone details, brick secondary walls and a picturesque asymmetrical outline to the entrance of Balerno Bank’s industrial site.
Quick facts
- Date
- Early twentieth century
- Architect / designer
- Architect and builder not recorded in the designation
- Type
- Two-storey lodge and offices to a former paper mill
- Designation
- Listed building, Category C (LB26727)
- OS grid reference
- NT 16368 66355
Architecture and continuing use
An L-plan sandstone block rises two storeys over a basement, with contrasting red margins and dressings. Pedimented dormerheads, a projecting chimney flue and a forestair produce an irregular, purposeful composition. Brick gables and rear elevations reveal the practical economy of the less public faces. The older designation notes blocked windows.
Its story
Paper production occupied Balerno Bank from the nineteenth century. John Galloway and Company later developed this early-twentieth-century lodge and office range as part of a larger works. The building is one of the surviving architectural traces of an industry that shaped local employment and the Water of Leith corridor.
Why it is included
It introduces industrial gatehouse and office architecture, showing that Balerno’s sandstone tradition served factories as well as houses and churches.
What to notice
- Red sandstone margins against paler walling.
- Pedimented dormers above the main windows.
- The external forestair serving a recessed brick bay.
Reading the surroundings
The former industrial function does not imply access. View only from lawful public routes and heed current signs, barriers, construction or private-property restrictions.
Timeline
- Nineteenth century Papermaking became established at Balerno Bank.
- Early twentieth century A new lodge and office range was built for the developed mill complex.
- 22 January 1971 The range and boundary wall entered the statutory list.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The description reflects an older survey and may not capture every later opening or repair. Current ownership, occupancy and interior condition are not asserted.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Balerno Bank Paper Mill Lodge, LB26727 — Current designation status, official mapped location, date, fabric and significance.
- Trove: Balerno Bank Paper Mill — National heritage record for the former paper-mill site and its industrial context.
- City of Edinburgh Council: Balerno Conservation Area Character Appraisal — Local-authority analysis of Balerno’s development, townscape, materials, industry and significant buildings.
Location
OS grid reference NT 16368 66355 · Location confidence: High for the current national designation point; public text separately states access, component-identity and current-use uncertainty. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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