Moray House's Newington Campus

The East Suffolk Road Hostels at Newington, south Edinburgh, were the first purpose built residences developed exclusively for women students in Scotland.

At the turn of the 20th century there was only limited provision for accommodating the increasing number of female students attending Edinburgh University, Edinburgh Art College and the Edinburgh Provincial Training College (Moray House).

The possibility of providing additional hostels for women students was first raised as early as 1906. Discussions were widened in 1911 and included the involvement of the Carnegie Universities Trust. It was agreed that one large scheme was preferable to a number of smaller hostels.

The following pages describe the building and history of the hostels; from the first phase that began in 1913, through the 1920s and the Second World War, to becoming Moray House's Newington Campus and their eventual closure in 1997.