DUNDAS
HOUSE
This building on the east side
of St Andrew’s Square is Dundas House, a Palladian
villa designed by the Swedish born Scottish architect Sir
William Chambers (1723 – 1796).
Built from 1772 to 1774 as a private mansion for Sir Laurence
Dundas (1712 – 1781) a wealthy entrepreneur and Member
of Parliament for Edinburgh, the site for the building
had originally been planned to be the site of St Andrew’s
Church.
Dundas however scuppered the plans of both
architect James Craig (1774 – 1795) and the city
fathers and purchased the site on which to have his home
built.
His luck was not always so fortunate however
as shortly after he took up residence, he almost lost his
new home in a game of cards.
After his death, Dundas’s son
Thomas sold the property to the government and the building
became as Excise Office until it was sold again in 1825
to the Royal Bank of Scotland, where it served as bank
headquarters until 2005.
|