David Bryce RSA 1803-1876

David Bryce R.S.A. architect was born in Edinburgh in 1803. He was educated at the High School, and professionally in the office of Burn the architect, whose partner he afterwards became.

In 1844 this association was dissolved, and for the future he was able to follow more thoroughly his own views, which leant very remarkably to that modification of the Gothic generally called the “Scotch Baronial.”

In his style he erected some of the most impressing residencies in Scotland such as “Cortachy,” “Blain Castle,” “The Glen House,” “Castlemelk,” while he left the impress of his art in additions and alterations upon an infinite number of others, in which latter department of art he has done more than any other architects of his day, showing great cleverness and adroitness in his adaptations.

In various other styles – sometimes more mixed than pare – he erected “The Edinburgh and Leith Bank” in GeorgeSheet, “The Seir (?) Club” in Princes St and – the most extensive of his works – “The Fettes College” must cover the rest of the list which is a very large one.

He was Grand Architect for Scotland and a member of many artistic and scientific bodies. He died in 1876.

RSA Obituary transcribed from the 1876 RSA Annual Report