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Midlothian / Re: Harvieston
« on: Tuesday 19 October 10 07:51 BST (UK) »
The driveway from Birkenside leads up to and past the house on the west side. It then continues down past the formal lawn, past the farm and down to another gate. I don't remember the name of the place, but there used to be derelict houses on the other side of the main road just past there. At the bottom of the formal lawn, there was a walled garden with potting sheds and a large greenhouse inside the walls on the house side of the garden. The farm buildings were on the west side of the garden with some of the buildings backing on to the wall.
I have just looked at the satellite view on Google maps, and there seem to be a lot more trees on the formal lawn now than there were back in the 50s. There were only a couple there then. There used to be pathways dividing the lawn. I learned to ride a bike there. A bit softer if I fell off. There was one big tree near the top and a hollly tree at the side. There were several trees on the side sloping down towards the burn. Especially a huge horse chestnut.
In front of the house there was a gravelled square and in front of that was stone terracing leading down to lawn tennis courts. That seems to be all trees now too. West of the house there was a football field. I remember two big oaks by the drive a little in front of the house.
When you come in the front door, there was the big hall I mentioned before, and to the right was a dining room. It had a door to the little room jutting out on the corner of the house. It was literaly a "little room". There was access to it also from our sitting room. The south east corner of the house also had a huge wash room which seems to be gone. It dated from the orphanage days. I note the highest room in the house is stilll there. You can see it jutting up on the roof. There was a big water tank next to it.
I did cycle out there in the late sixties, and the kitchen had had a false ceiling installed. That used to be a huge room with a terrazo floor, and had a big modern coal range.
I have just looked at the satellite view on Google maps, and there seem to be a lot more trees on the formal lawn now than there were back in the 50s. There were only a couple there then. There used to be pathways dividing the lawn. I learned to ride a bike there. A bit softer if I fell off. There was one big tree near the top and a hollly tree at the side. There were several trees on the side sloping down towards the burn. Especially a huge horse chestnut.
In front of the house there was a gravelled square and in front of that was stone terracing leading down to lawn tennis courts. That seems to be all trees now too. West of the house there was a football field. I remember two big oaks by the drive a little in front of the house.
When you come in the front door, there was the big hall I mentioned before, and to the right was a dining room. It had a door to the little room jutting out on the corner of the house. It was literaly a "little room". There was access to it also from our sitting room. The south east corner of the house also had a huge wash room which seems to be gone. It dated from the orphanage days. I note the highest room in the house is stilll there. You can see it jutting up on the roof. There was a big water tank next to it.
I did cycle out there in the late sixties, and the kitchen had had a false ceiling installed. That used to be a huge room with a terrazo floor, and had a big modern coal range.