The former Malleny Arms gives Balerno an emphatic hospitality landmark through its ashlar front, full-height canted bay and ironwork signage.
Quick facts
- Date
- Later nineteenth century
- Architect / designer
- Architect and builder not recorded in the designation
- Type
- Two-storey purpose-built public house
- Designation
- Listed building, Category C (LB27106)
- OS grid reference
- NT 16371 66448
Architecture and continuing use
The three-bay public house is faced in honey-coloured sandstone ashlar. A full-height canted bay rises to a hipped roof with iron brattishing, while gabled dormers carry decorative finials. The entrance has a consoled cornice and half-glazed double doors; the historic Malleny Arms bracket remains part of the front.
Its story
The building appears on late-nineteenth-century mapping and is explicitly identified as a public house by the 1913 edition. The designation describes a modernised bar interior, showing continued adaptation. Current operator information identifies the premises as The Balerno Inn.
Why it is included
Its architectural ambition and continuing hospitality use make it a focal point in the Main Street sequence.
What to notice
- Iron brattishing around the canted-bay roof.
- The consoled entrance cornice.
- Gabled dormers finished with iron finials.
Reading the surroundings
This is an operating inn. Use public areas only during current opening hours and respect overnight guests, staff and service access.
Timeline
- Later nineteenth century A prominent sandstone public house was constructed on Main Street.
- 1913 mapping The building was explicitly marked as a public house.
- 22 January 1971 The Malleny Arms entered the statutory list.
- 2026 check The premises were confirmed as trading under the Balerno Inn name.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The checked sources do not identify the original designer or a complete sequence of business names. Current services and opening hours may change.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Former Malleny Arms Hotel, 15 Main Street, Balerno, LB27106 — Current designation status, official mapped location, date, fabric and significance.
- The Balerno Inn — Current operator information for the former Malleny Arms at 15 Main Street.
- 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 16371 66448 · 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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