Built by Archibald Elliot (1761-1823) in 1815-17, the building is all that remains of the Calton Gaol, once the largest prison in Scotland, completed in 1817.
Built by Archibald Elliot (1761-1823) in 1815-17, its castellated and turreted form is similar to James Craig's Old Observatory House on Calton Hill. The Governor's House is all that remains of Calton Gaol, completed in 1817.