High above Craigour Green stand the remnants of Moredun House. This isn’t the grand house of old. That building met its end long ago. This is a different kind of legacy.
Moredun House once stood proudly as a family home. It was known as Gut-tres or Goodtrees before 1769. David Stuart Moncrieff changed its name. He honored a hill on his Perthshire estate. The original Moredun House served as a home for generations. It had a storied past. However its story took a dramatic turn.
In 1923 plans changed. The house was considered for use as a convalescent home for veterans. But alas it proved unsuitable. The decision was made to demolish Moredun House. The dreams of providing comfort for ex-servicemen faded. A new facility the Murray Homes would eventually serve that purpose in 1929.
A portion of the estate found a new purpose. It became the site of the Moredun Research Institute in 1924. This institute focused on animal health. That’s a far cry from the home that stood there before. The land transformed from a place of private residence to a center of scientific endeavor.
While the original Moredun House is gone. Its memory lives on. It’s a reminder of changing times. The land tells multiple stories. We see its transformation into a vital research center. But most importantly we see a story of adaptation and resilience.
The legacy of Moredun House continues. Not in the bricks and mortar of its former self. Instead its legacy lives on in the research and the community it helped build. In its place stand modern buildings. The spirit of Moredun House lives on in the neighborhood that bears its name. Even though the original building is gone. Its influence can still be felt. The stories are woven into the very fabric of this Edinburgh district.