Former residence of David Cousin, Greenhill Gardens

Category

Library Item

Item no

18137

Title

Former residence of David Cousin, architect, Greenhill Gardens

Artist / maker

Smith, John

Date

1927

Size

11.4 x 7 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

This is a photograph from the book 'Origin, nomenclature and location of various houses and streets in Edinburgh'.

David Cousin was an Edinburgh born architect, he trained under Henry Playfair.

Setting up his own practice in 1831, he later formed a brief partnership with the Glasgow based civil engineer, William Gale (d. 1858), as Cousin & Gale, 1839-45, during which time he became Edinburgh's Superintendent of Public Works, 1845-72, and architect to the British Linen Bank, 1845-74. He later combined these roles with his appointment as architect to Edinburgh's City Improvement Trust, in 1867.

His work is mainly in Edinburgh, where his finest buildings include:

St. Thomas's Episcopal Church (1842-3); the Corn Exchange (1853); Reid School of Music (1858); facades in Chambers Street (1864); the Savings Bank and Free Church Building on the Mound (1853-8); and the commercial India Buildings (1862).

For Glasgow, he designed Cambuslang Old Parish Church (1841-3), and the colossal, Romanesque Monteith Mausoleum, in the Necropolis (1842).

The Monteith Mausoleum, as well as being the largest structure in the Necropolis, features forty eight corbel heads under its eaves, each one an individual grotesque carved by an unidentified sculptor.

Cousin also specialised in cemetery design, and was responsible for planning Edinburgh's Warriston Cemetery (1842).

Amongst his domestic buildings is 7 Greenhill Gardens, which he designed for himself (1849).

He spent his later years travelling in search of better health, visiting Algiers, Mentone, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he died on 14th August 1878.

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Architecture > Architectural features > Chimneys

Architecture > Architectural features > Doors and doorways

Architecture > Architectural features > Roofs

Architecture > Architectural features > Windows

Homes > Residential buildings > Houses

Places > Edinburgh areas > Morningside

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Transport > Infrastructure > Pavements

Transport > Infrastructure > Roads