Carrington House

In 1871, the cornerstone of Carrington House at Fettes College was laid. Designed by David Bryce, the house originally bore the name Dalmeny. It was later renamed Carrington House, allegedly due to confusion with Lord Rosebery’s mail. Carrington House, a rambling, two-story Baronial-style building, houses 58 boys between the ages of 13 and 18. The building features squared and snecked sandstone rubble with ashlar dressings, a variety of window surrounds, and a distinctive metal fire escape. Over the years, Carrington House has seen several additions and renovations. In 1892, it was enlarged. A new window was added by Sir Robert Rowand Anderson in 1895. The interior was renovated by A. F. Balfour Paul in 1936. Following a fire in 1963, it was restored by Anderson Kininmonth and Paul. The house master’s house, located to the east, has an entrance in an advanced gabled bay. The student entrance is in a recessed gabled bay. A low, two-story wing extends to the right. At the rear, a single-story projection adds to the building’s unique structure. Inside Carrington House, study rooms are arranged around a galleried hall. The hall, situated in the lower two-story wing, features a gabled lantern, boarded dado, sliding doors, and a barley sugar timber balustrade with turned colonettes. Upstairs, the senior dormitory includes wainscot-high boarded timber cubicle divisions and cast-iron columns. Carrington House is more than just a dormitory. It is a vital part of the Fettes College boarding house system. Each house aims to create a close-knit community, akin to a family, offering support and a sense of belonging. Houseparents, assistants, matrons, and visiting tutors contribute to this nurturing environment. Even teaching staff spend an evening each week in the houses, getting to know the students outside the classroom.