It was built in 1780 by William Coulter, a wealthy hosier and baillie who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1808 until his death in 1810.

[1] Falcon Hall was set on 18 acres (7.3 ha) between Newbattle Terrace and Canaan Lane.

The property was acquired in the early 19th century by Alexander Falconar (d.1847),[2] a merchant of the East India Company.

Falconar added a neoclassical facade by the architect Thomas Hamilton,[3] and renamed the house based on his name.

The pillars of the gateway were each surmounted by a falcon, one each side of the gates, painted in brown and gold.