An historic building recording survey was required in relation to an advisory note for recommended archaeological work in regard to the proposed demolition of a detached house known as Bilston Gardens in Bilston, Midlothian (Planning Ref: 25/00247/PNDEM). A pre-development exterior Basic/Level 2 historic building recording survey was required by ELCAS of the house. This level of survey, based on nationally recognised guidelines (ALGAO 2013; HE 2016) requires a photographic, written and drawn record. A pre-development exterior survey was made of the house. Following the strip out of the building prior to demolition, an additional record was then undertaken of the interior to establish and record any remains of the original early 19th century structure. Bilston Gardens was built between 1843-1854 as a small rectangular cottage set back from and at a much lower ground level than the adjacent main road, the A701, the main arterial route from Edinburgh to the SSW towards Penicuik. The historic mapping identifies that the house remained relatively unchanged throughout the 19th and early 20th century. The surrounding small suburb of Bilston then expanded after the Second World War with the construction of the houses to the west of the A701. A large glasshouse was built in front of, and later connected to, the house at this time; this was later removed. In the later 20th century, a formal driveway in tar mac and a double garage were built to the north. The house was renovated in the early 21st century and was latterly used as an Airbnb property. The soft strip of the ground floor exposed the original stone rubble built walls with evidence of the later alterations in brick and a bricked-up fireplace.
Diana Sproat (Wed,) studied this question.